07172014Thu
Last updateTue, 15 Jul 2014 3pm
All in One Real Estate

Canadian paper claims Peña Nieto furious at Prime Minister Harper

According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has cancelled a planned trip to Canada in June in protest at Prime Minister’s Stephen Harper’s refusal  to discuss the issue of visas for Mexican travelers to Canada.

The paper said Mexican officials believed Harper was on the verge of rescinding  the polemic measure introduced in 2008 requiring all Mexicans visiting Canada to obtain a visa to enter the country.  The requirement was introduced after a significant increase in the number of false refugee claims from Mexicans.

Peña Nieto had hoped Harper would make a statement on the issue during his state visit to Mexico in January, during which, the Globe & Mail said, the Canadian prime minister was feted, wined and dined in a major “charm offensive.”

In the end, Harper made no commitment to lifting the visa requirement, a measure that has contributed significantly to a steady drop in Mexican tourism to Canada.

The paper quoted “Canadian sources” as saying Peña Nieto was due to attend a conference on petroleum in Calgary and also visit Ottawa but has now cancelled the trip.