Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. As co-chair of the Canada-Bulgaria Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, I am well aware of the strong ties that have developed over the past 55 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. However, there is no Canadian embassy in Bulgaria. Currently, the mission for the region is in Bucharest, Romania. Bucharest is 464 kilometres away — a seven-hour drive — from Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. That is a one-hour non-stop flight, or four-and-a-half hours with a connection. This can be very inconvenient for Canadians and Bulgarians needing emergency consular assistance or passport services while in Bulgaria.

Leader, given that we are the only G7 country that doesn’t have an official presence in Sofia, Bulgaria, what is the Government of Canada’s position on establishing an embassy there? Is this something that your government is actively considering?

Thank you for making that inquiry. As we mark this fifty-fifth anniversary, I think that, at a minimum, what should be done — if it is not being done already — is a feasibility study. If there are details on the feasibility of establishing a Canadian embassy in Bulgaria, that would be very helpful. Leader, would you also check whether such a study has been conducted and, if not, is this something we could request at this time?