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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL - CALGARY
Suite 100, 1001 1st St SE Calgary, AB, T2G 5G3

CONSUL GENERAL ASUQUE CALLS ON MP DEEPAK OBHRAI

Home Press Release
14 September, Calgary – Consul General Gilberto Asuque met with Mr. Deepak Obhrai, Member of Parliament (MP) for Calgary Forest Lawn, on 11 September 2018 at the latter’s Constituency Office in Calgary to explore ways for bringing consular services to Filipino-Canadians in the MPs district.  
Consul General Asuque and MP Obhrai discussed a wide range of topics, including the Filipino diaspora in Canada, the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Canada, and Canada’s relations with ASEAN.
MP Obhrai spoke highly of the Filipino-Canadians, especially the 5,000 Filipino-Canadians out of the 100,000 residents in his riding. He described the Filipinos as hardworking, reliable, and law abiding.  
MP Obhrai had been in the Philippines a number of times to represent Canada in bilateral meetings during his almost 10-year tenure as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is familiar with ASEAN as he also represented Canada in its various meetings. Canada is one of the Dialogue Partners of ASEAN while the Philippines is one of the founding members of the 51-year old regional organization.
MP Obhrai sees the continued growth in people-to-people ties between the Philippines and Canada and he regards the Philippines and Canada as strong partners in ASEAN.
Consul General Asuque briefed MP Obhrai about the concept of ASEAN Smart City Network (ASCN).  MP Obhrai shared that Canada and ASEAN have so much to learn from each other.
The Consul General also informed MP Obhrai about the Philippine Consulate General’s ongoing promotion for Winter Escapade 6 travel tour to the Philippines on 28 January – 4 February 2018.
MP Obhrai is the longest-serving Conservative MP in Canada’s 42nd Parliament. He was first elected MP for Calgary East in 1997 and got re-elected five times before getting elected for the seventh time in October 2015 to represent the newly-formed Riding of Calgary Forest Lawn.   Under the administration of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, MP Obhrai was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation (2008), Parliamentary Secretary for International Human Rights (2013). He was also appointed to Her Majesty’s Privy Council for Canada in 2013