The IDF Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz concluded his official visit to Canada on Friday.

Lt. Gen. Gantz was hosted by his Canadian counterpart, Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) of the Canadian Forces General Walt Natynczyk (pronounced na-tin-check), who emphasized the importance he sees in the visit and in the growing security cooperation between the two countries. The Canadian CDS hosted Lt. Gen. Gantz to an official dinner, in which his deputy and other senior officers participated.

"Meeting with the Chiefs of Defense of allied and friendly nations is always time very well spent," said General Natynczyk. "We are honored to host Lieutenant-General Gantz and his wife in Ottawa. This is an important opportunity for us to share perspectives on global security issues," "Our relationship with the Israeli Defense Forces is growing. We will continue to build upon our friendship with practical initiatives of mutual benefit."

According to the IDF Website, the two met on the following day for an extended "one-on-one" meeting, during which they exchanged views on current security issues.

Following the meeting, the CDS conducted a roundtable panel with representatives from the Ministry of National Defense and senior officers from the Canadian military. Lt. Gen. Gantz gave the assembled officers a detailed brief regarding the current challenges in the Middle East, the radical elements that have a negative influence on the region, and current trends in view of the changes in several Middle Eastern countries over the past year.

The panel ended with a discussion on the current fields of cooperation between the Canadian and Israeli military and defense establishments.

During the visit, both Lt. Gen. Gantz and Gen. Natynczyk took the opportunity to attend the Ceremony of Remembrance at the Book of Remembrance in Parliament.

The CDS expressed his wish to visit Israel in the near future.

The IDF Website reported that the visit was "significant, and included important discussions regarding global challenges as well as military challenges." (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 03/18/12)