To The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

To The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada,

On behalf of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC), we congratulate you in your electoral victory to lead Canada as Prime Minister. Founded in 2002, we are an organization consisting of twenty-four member groups ranging from Vancouver to Halifax, and many more affiliated organizations and unions that we also work closely with across Canada, as well as internationally.

Our network was formed to bring together people in Canada who feel an affection for Canada and Cuba, and strengthen the ties that connect our nations. Canada and Cuba have enjoyed 80 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations. This is in great contrast to the United States which does not respect Cuba’s right to sovereignty and self-determination (neither that of Canada nor Greenland) and have been interfering via political subversion and imposing an economic, financial, and commercial blockade against the Cuban people for more than 63 years. Moreover, the U.S naval base sits on the illegally occupied Cuban territory of Guantanamo Bay.

One of the CNC’s principal objectives is advocating that Canadian foreign policy regarding Cuba remains based on equality and respect for sovereignty and the right of self-determination. Our work also consists of organizing and participating in cultural, educational, academic, and aid campaigns and projects involving Canada and Cuba, and disseminating information about the achievements of the Cuban people in areas such as education, public health, culture, and democracy and human rights, despite the United States’ blockade which costs the island nation’s economy billions of dollars annually.

We look forward to your government continuing and strengthening the social, cultural, political and economic relations between Canada and Cuba, based on mutual respect and national sovereignty. The CNC will continue to promote friendship and solidarity between the peoples of Canada and Cuba.

Sincerely,

Samantha Hislop
Julio Fonseca
Co-Chairs, Canadian Network on Cuba