Canada-Cuba Relations

Fact Sheet: General country information, political and economic data.

Beginning of Diplomatic Relations

Canada-Cuba relations can be traced back to the 18th century, when vessels from the Atlantic provinces of Canada traded codfish and beer for rum and sugar. Cuba was the first country in the Caribbean selected by Canada for a diplomatic mission. Official diplomatic relations were established in 1945, when Emile Vaillancourt, a noted writer and historian, was designated Canada’s representative in Cuba. Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the hemisphere to maintain uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Cuba following the success of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chrétien paid official visits to Cuba in 1976 and 1998, respectively. President Fidel Castro visited Canada in 1959 and 2000, on the latter occasion to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Trudeau.

Key Issues

• Tourism:
  Cuba is the fifth most popular overseas destination for Canadians (after the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom and France). In 2005, approximately 600 000 Canadian tourists visited Cuba. There were approximately 125 flights from Canada to Cuba per week during high season. For more information on visiting Cuba.

• Human Rights:
  Canada has consistently recognized Cuba’s strong commitment to economic and social rights, with its particularly important achievements in the areas of education and health. At the same time, Canada has urged Cuban authorities to achieve similar progress with respect to basic civil and political rights, such as freedom of speech, association and the press.
  
  Canadian authorities have expressed deep concern and strongly protested to Cuban authorities the incarceration and harsh sentencing of 75 Cuban dissidents in March and April 2003.
  
  Senior government officials have directly raised concerns about the health and prison conditions of the "75" at bilateral meetings with senior Cuban officials. Given the peaceful nature of the dissidents’ activities, Canada’s position is that the severe restrictions on freedom of expression cannot be justified on the grounds of national security. The Canadian government has therefore requested the release of the imprisoned dissidents, with immediate consideration for those in poor health.

• Canada co-sponsored a resolution on Cuba’s human rights situation for the fourteenth consecutive year at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in April 2005.
  
  In May 2003, Canada, Uruguay and Chile jointly presented a statement on Cuba’s human rights situation to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS). The statement was supported by seventeen of thirty-four permanent members of the OAS.

• Public Affairs in Cuba:
  Canada’s public affairs programme in Cuba promotes greater understanding of Canada and Canadians and their ideals of a multicultural, democratic, caring, innovative society.
  
  One of the most successful Canadian-inspired events in Cuba is the annual Run in honour of Terry Fox, a national hero who ran across Canada for cancer research. The 9th Annual Terry Fox Run attracted over two million participants across the island in February 2006, making it the largest in the world outside of Canada. Knowledge of Canadian culture and history is also promoted through Canadian Studies programmes at five Cuban Universities. Canada hosts a "Speakers Program", bringing Canadian academics to Cuba to discuss topics including multiculturalism and the Canadian economy.
  
  The history and diversity of Canada-Cuba relations was recently explored in a photographic exhibited entitled "Cuba-Canada: One Hundred Years in View."

Trade and Investment

International Trade Canada is responsible for positioning Canada as a world business leader and for promoting Canada as a dynamic place to do business. Visit the International Trade Canada web site for information about services for Canadian companies, non-Canadian companies, business development, and information relating to investment or trade policy.

Indigenous Relations

Learn more about the Aboriginal dimension of Canada’s relations with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Development Assistance

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) supports projects in more than 150 countries around the world including countries in the Americas. For information about these projects, visit CIDA’s Americas web page.

April 2005