April 26, 2015 - Ottawa, Ontario - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:
“On behalf of all Canadians, I extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the people affected by the impact and aftershocks of the earthquake in Nepal and Northern India. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured.
“Last night, I spoke to my Nepalese counterpart, Mr. Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, and expressed Canada’s willingness to help in any way possible. Already, my colleague, the Honourable Christian Paradis, announced that Canada is contributing $5 million to provide life-saving support to the region, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper has authorized the deployment of an assessment team, due to arrive in Nepal in the next days. This assessment team will lead Canadian efforts to gain first-hand situational awareness of the scale of immediate needs on the ground and identify opportunities for assistance.
“On the ground, Canadian officials are working closely with officials in Nepal and India, and a team is being deployed to the region to provide additional consular capacity.
“Canadian citizens in the affected region requiring emergency consular assistance should use the Registration of Canadians Abroad service and contact the Consulate of Canada in Kathmandu, Nepal, by calling + 977 (1) 444 1976, or contact Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre at +1 613 996 8885 (collect calls are accepted where available). An email can also be sent to sos@international.gc.ca.
“It is clear that this devastating event has affected thousands of families in the region. Canada will continue to work with international partners and aid agencies to contribute to helping those affected by this crisis.”
Contacts
Johanna Quinney
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
343-203-1851
johanna.quinney@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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