1 June 2000 Edition
British military in South Armagh under scrutiny
Declan Fearon of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee put the continued British military presence in South Armagh on the Canadian political agenda during a recent visit to the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.
His trip, in early May, was sponsored by the Toronto-based Information on Ireland group.
During the talk in the Canadian Parliament, which was organised by the Ireland/Canada Inter Parliamentary Friendship Group, Fearon met with 30 MPs and Senators. He briefed them on the continuing failure of the British government to implement a plan for the demilitarisation of South Armagh.
Also at the talk were the Irish Ambassador to Canada and the Deputy British High Commissioner.
According to Alan McConnell of Information on Ireland, ``the visit to Ottawa was the highlight of a very successful tour. Mr Fearon spoke at well-attended meetings in Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa. In Toronto, he met MP John O'Toole and Minister of Agriculture Tony Haberman, the Ireland/Canada Chamber of Commerce, Ted McConnell, Honorary Irish Counsel in Canada and the Canadian Government's representative on the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Fearon said his trip, ``was very productive. I had good meetings and appeared on Canadian national TV. It is just a question now of keeping the pressure on the British Government to fulfill its obligations''.
His trip, in early May, was sponsored by the Toronto-based Information on Ireland group.
During the talk in the Canadian Parliament, which was organised by the Ireland/Canada Inter Parliamentary Friendship Group, Fearon met with 30 MPs and Senators. He briefed them on the continuing failure of the British government to implement a plan for the demilitarisation of South Armagh.
Also at the talk were the Irish Ambassador to Canada and the Deputy British High Commissioner.
According to Alan McConnell of Information on Ireland, ``the visit to Ottawa was the highlight of a very successful tour. Mr Fearon spoke at well-attended meetings in Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa. In Toronto, he met MP John O'Toole and Minister of Agriculture Tony Haberman, the Ireland/Canada Chamber of Commerce, Ted McConnell, Honorary Irish Counsel in Canada and the Canadian Government's representative on the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Fearon said his trip, ``was very productive. I had good meetings and appeared on Canadian national TV. It is just a question now of keeping the pressure on the British Government to fulfill its obligations''.