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The Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, SC, today (October 6, Ottawa time) began a three-day visit to Ottawa and Toronto in Canada to strengthen ties and promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution centre for the Asia Pacific.
He will meet senior legal and judicial figures, as well as representatives of the legal profession, business sector and non-governmental organisations, to brief them on the rule of law situation in Hong Kong. He will also update them on the latest developments in Hong Kong's role as a regional centre for international arbitration.
In Ottawa today, Mr Wong attended a roundtable luncheon to exchange views on Hong Kong's latest developments with members of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa) and Canada-Hong Kong Parliamentary Friendship Group.
He also met the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Mr Robert Douglas Nicholson, and Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin of the Supreme Court of Canada.
On Wednesday (October 7), Mr Wong will first have a roundtable breakfast hosted by the Canadian Council of International Law and later meet the Legal Adviser to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr Alan Kessel, before leaving for Toronto in the afternoon.
In Toronto, he will call on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario to obtain first-hand information on their best practices on arbitration and mediation.
On Thursday (October 8), Mr Wong will deliver a speech on "Hong Kong's Legal System and International Links: Your Springboard to China and Asia Pacific Region" at a luncheon hosted by the Canadian Club of Toronto and supported by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Toronto).
He will also meet the Attorney General of Ontario, Mr Chris Bentley, hold meetings with representatives of the Ontario Bar Association and Law Society of Upper Canada, and visit St Stephen's Community House Mediation Service.
Mr Wong will depart for Hong Kong on Friday (October 9).
Ends/Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:00
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