Ambassador's Page

Welcome to the website of the Canadian Embassy to the Holy See!

Our embassy, located in Rome just outside the Vatican City State, is here to further Canada’s interests through communication and cooperation with the Holy See in its capacity as a sovereign state and a member of the international community.

Diplomatic relations between Canada and the Holy See were established on October 15, 1969. Currently the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with 174 states, as well as the European Union, and participates in the activities of various international and regional intergovernmental organizations.

Bilateral cooperation
The Holy See's foreign policy is based on fundamental principles of peace, justice, human rights and development which are the same principles that guide Canada’s foreign policy. We have a common concern for issues such as the conflict in the Middle East and the plight of millions suffering from poverty and disease in Africa and elsewhere. Thus we have fertile ground for cooperation on a broad range of issues either bilaterally or within a multilateral context. For instance, we work together to improve conditions in the Great Lakes region of Africa. The Holy See was a strong and active supporter of the development of Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines and remains an active supporter of its implementation.

Highlights of 2005/2006
I presented my credentials to Pope John Paul II on September 4, 2004. Soon after, we celebrated 35 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Holy See.

The third-longest pontificate in history came to an end, however, on April 2, 2005, with the death of Pope John Paul II. It was a remarkable time to be in Rome, as we witnessed millions of pilgrims pour past the Embassy’s Chancery to pay their respects to the Pope’s remains in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Canada was represented at the Holy Father’s funeral on April 9, 2005, by former Prime Minister Paul Martin and the then Governor General Adrienne Clarkson attended the inauguration of the pontificate of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, on April 24, 2005.

Canadian media was also well represented in Rome, with numerous crews and reporters arriving for the historic moments of the “events of April” as they are often referred to here in Rome.

More recently, on February 27, 2006, we were very pleased to welcome Governor General Michaëlle Jean to the Vatican, following her visit to Turin, Italy, for participation in the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. This was the occasion for a very cordial audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

2008: Canada in the spotlight
Canada was honoured in 2002 by the visit of Pope John Paul II for the Catholic Church’s international World Youth Day celebration, held in Toronto and which gathered there some 800,000 people from across the world. Canada will again be in the spotlight in 2008, as the Holy See has chosen Quebec City to be the location for its next International Eucharistic Congress which, like World Youth Day, will bring participants and media from across the world to Canada.

And more
We will also be posting, as usual, information on other special events, like the concert to celebrate Canada Day 2005 performed by the world-class Canadian choir, Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal. Despite its small territory, the Holy See's international dimension gives such events global resonance.

Donald Smith,
Canadian Ambassador to the Holy See

Ambassador's Biography