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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. From the Department of External Affairs Annual Report, 1945: "On March 16, it was announced that Canada and Cuba had agreed to exchange diplomatic missions, and that Mr. Emile Vaillancourt had been appointed as first Canadian Minister to Cuba....Mr. Vaillancourt arrived in Havana on April 25...{and} presented his credentials to the President of Cuba, Dr. Ramon Grau San Martin on May 8." Canada has maintained uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Cuba since 1945. 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. Cuba and Canada have a long history of contact and cooperation in a broad range of activities including culture, education, sport, trade, development, and tourism. A diverse and frank dialogue based on mutual respect is a distinguishing feature of the relationship. While there are, and will remain, important differences between the two countries, Canadians and Cubans share many common values and interests, including a commitment to human welfare through support for universal health care and education. The history and diversity of Canada-Cuba relations can be explored in a virtual exhibit, entitled "One Hundred Years in View". The online exhibit is composed of two main elements: a gallery with six principal rooms and an online catalogue with text and images that provide a historical context for the development of Cuba-Canada relations over the last century.
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