The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Canada. He is accompanied by Mr. Murat Rustemov and Mr. Nurlan Gabdyzhamalov. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Oh.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Woongsoon Lim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Canada, and Colonel Dongwon Lee, Defence Attaché for the Republic of Korea in Canada. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Martin.

On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.

Hon. Victor Oh: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak about my trip to the beautiful country of Kazakhstan in November 2022. It was my honour to be invited by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Canada, by Ambassador Akylbek Kamaldinov, who is here with us today in the chamber. It was also a privilege to travel alongside my dear friend and honourable colleague Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais.

The purpose of the trip was to observe Kazakhstan’s presidential election as independent international observers and to partake in the Kazakhstan Canada Business Council meeting. As a Canadian, it was inspiring to witness the foundation of their democratic process in this young country.

As the voters walked to their private booths and cast their ballots into the boxes, I could sense the thrill and excitement of this monumental election and for the country’s bright future ahead.

This trip opened my eyes to the beauty and rich culture of this Central Asian country. As the ninth-largest country in the world, it encourages diversity and modernism while continuing to honour and celebrate its rich nomadic history.

The generosity and kindness we experienced from the Kazakhstani people were also a warm welcome after our long flights.

As Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources, including minerals and uranium, fostering ties at the Kazakhstan-Canada Business Council meeting was beneficial.

It is a great honour to have the ambassador join us here in the chamber today. I kindly invite everyone, if you have a chance, to please visit beautiful Kazakhstan.

Thank you.

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