Ottawa - Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan received the Honorable D. Wayne Elhard, Provincial Secretary of Saskatchewan and Mr. Ian Hanna, Special Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs during their visit to Ottawa on 22 May 2013.

Mr. Elhard conveyed the goodwill of the government towards the Filipino community in Saskatchewan. He further noted that the Philippines is now the single largest source of migrants for the province and the community continues to grow.

Mr. Elhard said that the province is Saskatchewan is very grateful for people coming from the Philippines, as they have done their nation proud, and they have displayed high levels of competency, enthusiasm, industriousness and helpfulness overall. Premier Brad Wall himself has often spoken very highly of the Filipino community in the province.

The Provincial Secretary thanked the Ambassador for the visit to the province in March 2013 as it opened doors for his visit. Mr. Elhard disclosed that Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is firming up plans to lead a delegation and visit Asia - including the Philippines, in the near future.

Premier Wall is expected to outline the various opportunities in Saskatchewan and make a presentation on the province as a market, and as a place to emigrate.

Mr. Elhard emphasized that Premier Wall and the government has set out an aggressive growth agenda with a view to doubling exports, and doubling the agricultural component output of the province. The government is setting deliberate and achievable targets and works within a practical and doable agenda.

Ambassador Gatan welcomed the possibility of the visit of Premier Wall and assured Minister Elhard that the Embassy would be prepared to facilitate the Premier's visit accordingly. END