Washington, DC, 3 July 2012 (PAHO/WHO). Canada's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), the Honorable Diane Ablonczy, met with PAHO’s Deputy Director, Dr. Jon K. Andrus, an official visit today at PAHO headquarters. Ms. Ablonczy was briefed on PAHO’s mandate, Canada's role in the Organization, and PAHO's collaboration with the Organization of American States as a member of the Inter-American System, in areas including the cholera epidemic in Haiti and a proposed study of the drug problem in the Americas.

Ms. Ablonczy was accompanied by Mr. Pierre Giroux, Canada's Deputy Head of Mission and Alternate Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), Mr. Brett Maitland, Counselor and Head of Cooperation at the OAS Mission, and Mr. Stephen B. Snell, Chief of Staff. PAHO staff at the briefing included Dr. Juan Manuel Sotelo, Dr. Luis Galvao, Dr. Devora Kestel, Dr. Luis Alfonzo and Dr. Carlos Santos-Burgoa.