Newsletter April 27, 2017

Consul General Baram had her first official trip to Alberta during the week of April 3-7, 2017.

She visited universities, met with politicians and bureaucrats, and got to know members of

the Jewish and interfaith communities.

University Visits

While in Alberta CG Baram met with the University of Calgary administration, including Jim

Dewald, Dean of the Haskayne School of Business and Samuel Weiss, Director of the Hotchkiss

Brain Institute. She also met with the heads of the School of Public Policy. CG Baram toured the

University of Calgary campus.

While at the School of Public Policy, CG Baram addressed a group of students who visited

Israel a few weeks earlier. Her lecture was on the spirit of Israeli innovation, entrepreneurship

and student life in Israel.

CG Baram with the Senior Administration at the University of

Alberta.

Technology

In Calgary, CG Baram met with the heads of Innovate Calgary. While in Edmonton, CG Baram

met with TEC Edmonton. At both meetings she had productive conversations about how

Alberta and Israel could expand economic cooperation and they identified areas of mutual

interest.

Politics

Courtesy calls

In Edmonton, CG Baram spent a full day meeting with elected officials and bureaucrats. She

met with Robert Wanner, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta; Ricardo Miranda,

Minister of Culture and Tourism; Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry; Marlin

Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education; and Brian Jean, Leader of the Official

Opposition. As well, CG Baram had the honour of being welcomed in the Legislature by

Minister Bilous.

On the final day of her visit she had lunch with Jason Kenney, leader of PC Alberta, and Kelly

McCauley, MP for Edmonton West, where she discussed furthering Israel-Alberta relations.

Jewish Community

During her time in Alberta, CG Baram met with members of the Jewish community. From

Calgary to Edmonton she was warmly welcomed by the Jewish communities.

At the Calgary JCC, the Consul General had a far-ranging discussion with local Hebrew

speakers. Afterwards, she provided a political briefing about the Middle East and Israel-

Canada relations. In the evening, CG Baram toured the Calgary Jewish Academy and spoke

with the local Jewish community.

Calgary JCC organized an incredible night and we thank them for their hospitality.

CG Baram, who comes from a family of Holocaust survivors, visited the impressive Holocaust

Memorial monument at the Calgary JCC with Judy Shapiro, Associate Executive Director of

Calgary Jewish Federation. She also had a heart-to-heart discussion with, Fanny, a

local Holocaust survivor.

After a productive trip to Calgary, CG Baram traveled to Edmonton where she met with the

local Jewish community leadership to learn more about the community, and their successes

and challenges.

Lecture at Talmud Torah Day School with Edmonton Jewish

Community

In Edmonton CG Baram gave a presentation at Talmud Torah School which was the first

Jewish day school in Western Canada, founded in 1912.

While touring the Jewish community, the CG

had the pleasure of meeting Rabbi Mark

Glickman of B'nai Tikvah in Calgary.

Interfaith Relations

In Edmonton, on the last day of her visit, she met with Father Stefano Penna and Reverend

John Louis Mariapragasam and toured the beautiful Annunciation Catholic Church.

Afterwards, she visited Beth Israel Synagogue, met with the synagogue's leadership, and

learned more about the Edmonton Jewish community. Finally, she had coffee with Peter

Schalin and David Nemes of Christians United For Israel Alberta.