On 3rd May 2011, Canada’s Ambassador to China, Mr. David Mulroney, visited the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS/IEA), where he attended a lecture on early history of Canada’s relationship with China by Dr. John Meehan from the University of Regina.

Before the lecture, Prof. Zhang Changdong, Acting Director-General of CASS/IEA hosted a brief welcome to Ambassador Mulroney. Prof. Zhang introduced the activities in recent years implemented by the Canadian Studies Center of IEA, especially the upcoming joint conference on Sino-Canada Migration and Diversity in parternership with the York University, which to be held on October 14-15 at CASS in Beijing.

Ambassador Mulroney mentioned that he is very happy to know CASS has built a strong link with Canadian Universities and Institutions, he commented on the importance of migration and immigration in Canada, Chinese Canadian have been playing an important role in Canada’s development, and Chinese is now the third most spoken language in Canada, behind English and French. Ambassador Mulroney believed that Canada as an example of a country that has grown stronger and more cohesive through its embrace of immigration and its diversity.

On 2009-05-27, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of David Mulroney, former Deputy Minister of the Afghanistan Task Force in the Privy Council Office, as Canada’s Ambassador to China. A career public servant and diplomat, Mr. Mulroney has held positions of increasing responsibility within the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Privy Council Office in Ottawa.

Ambassador Mulroney’s visit to CASS/IEA was accompanied by Ms Feng Shuo from the Section of Public Affairs in the Embassy.
(Reported by the Canadian Studies Center of CASS/IEA)