Ontario premier avoids politics in meetings with Netanyahu and Peres
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty met with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss clean water and energy technology and health sciences.
They were joined by Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Sandra Pupatello, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Dr. Eric Hoskins, MPP Monte Kwinter, MPP Mike Colle and MPP David Zimmer.
Two-way trade between Israel and Ontario is worth about $1.1 billion.
During the one-hour meeting, the two leaders committed to continue building on existing partnerships between Israel and Ontario to help strengthen the growing knowledge-based economy.
Peres also surprised the Ontario premier with a proposal to launch a virtual brain-research institute. Predicting the great scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century would focus on the brain, Peres suggested the set up of a “virtual organization” of Israeli and Ontario scientists.
On Monday McGuinty held a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to talk about clean water and green energy.
Before a private visit to the Old City, he told reporters at Jaffa Gate that he has not discussed Jerusalem political affairs with Israel’s heads of state. “We didn’t get into all that,” he said.
Premier McGuinty is on a five-day mission to promote Ontario’s life sciences sector. Israel’s life sciences sector has experienced dramatic growth, with 80 life sciences companies being created every year.
McGuinty is scheduled to visit the West Bank on Thursday before continuing on to Beirut.
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