On July 12, 2023, Rob Oliphant, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, visited the Archdiocese of Canada Headquarters in Toronto.
Mr. Oliphant met with and had a productive and informative briefing with Archon Evagelos Sotiropoulos, where various issues pertaining to the Ecumenical Patriarchate were discussed.
The historic and present-day roles and responsibilities of the Patriarchate, together with the remarkable tenure of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, were discussed during the meeting that lasted more than one-hour. The importance of religious freedom and allowing the Patriarchate to perform its ecclesiastical functions without interference were emphasized by Archon Sotiropoulos.
The Member was gifted a copy of the book “The Ecumenical Patriarchate and Ukraine Autocephaly: Historical, Canonical, and Pastoral Perspectives,” which was sponsored by the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Before the bilateral meeting began, Mr. Oliphant was welcomed by Archbishop Sotirios who had a private conversation with the Parliamentary Secretary.
Mr. Oliphant, whose riding encompasses the Archdiocese Headquarters, has been a helpful advocate and benefactor of the Church in Canada for many years, including his annual assistance with the Canada Summer Jobs Program.
