At the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing attended the International Fleet Review hosted by Canada’s Navy in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as part of the Canadian Naval Centennial (1910-2010) in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

During his visit, from June 26 to 29, 2010, Fra’ Matthew Festing, met with ministers of the Government of Canada: the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway.

The visit was the Grand Master’s first in an official capacity since the establishment of official relations between Canada and the Order of Malta in June 2008. It was an occasion to exchange views with Canadian officials on international development issues.