<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>PARLIAMENTARIANS, ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS TO OBSERVE ELECTIONS IN CHIAPAS</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">September 30, 1998 No. 225</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+2">PARLIAMENTARIANS, ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS </font></p>
<p><font face="Univers" size="+2">TO OBSERVE ELECTIONS IN CHIAPAS</font></p>
<p><font face="Univers"></font><font face="Courier">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy announced today that Canadian observers,
including federal parliamentarians and representatives of the Assembly of First
Nations (AFN), will visit Mexico in early October to observe elections in the
State of Chiapas.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"This visit demonstrates Canada's ongoing interest in events in Chiapas," said Mr.
Axworthy. "I look forward to hearing about the observers' experiences and
impressions upon their return to Canada."</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The parliamentarians and AFN representatives will work in close partnership on the
mission. Members of the delegation include: Raymonde Folco (Member of Parliament,
Laval West); the Honourable Lois Wilson (Senator, Ontario); Deepak Obhrai (Member
of Parliament, Calgary East); Richard Marceau (Member of Parliament,
Charlesbourg); Ghislain Picard, Assembly of First Nations Vice-Chief
(Quebec/Labrador); Maryanne Stoney, Chief, Little Pine First Nation; and Allan
Torbitt, Senior Advisor on International Affairs of the Assembly of First Nations.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The observers will meet with federal electoral authorities in Mexico City on
October 1, and will then travel to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital of Chiapas, where
they will meet with the State Electoral Council and representatives of the major
political parties. On October 4, they will visit several communities to observe
the elections for municipal and state congress representatives. The delegation
will return to Canada on October 7.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) David Kilgour noted that Mexico's
federal co-ordinator for Chiapas, Emilio Rabasa, has been visiting Canada this
week. "I welcome Mr. Rabasa's visit on the eve of this observer mission, and I am
pleased that he has met with parliamentarians and other groups while in Canada,"
said Mr. Kilgour.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This is the second Canadian parliamentary delegation to visit Chiapas this year.
In May, a multi-party delegation of Members of Parliament visited Chiapas and met
a cross-section of government representatives and citizens. </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Following that mission, Minister Axworthy and Minister for International Co-operation and Minister responsible for La Francophonie Diane Marleau announced
that Canada was increasing the Canada Fund allocation for Mexico for 1998/99 to
$500 000, an increase of $50 000, and that $100 000 of the total amount would be
targeted to support the socio-economic development of Indigenous communities.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"><strong></strong></font><font face="Courier">-30-</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Debora Brown</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Sara Mohsin</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa)</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 992-9404</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
</body>
</html>
