AUC reaches agreement with Irish university

The first known agreement resulting from Sault Ste. Marie's Irish trade mission is between Algoma University College and Dundalk Institute of Technology.

The AUC agreement has not yet been disclosed in Canada, but was announced by Sault officials to the Irish media last week.

The Dundalk Argus newspaper is reporting that the agreement to create closer educational links between the two universities was reached last Monday.

The collaboration is expected to include student exchanges, the Argus reports.

Dundalk Institute of Technology is launching an undergraduate program in community, social and economic development similar to one currently offered by AUC that's promoted as the only program of its kind in Canada.

A Tony Martin homecoming

The Dundalk Argus gave prominent notice to the return of Sault MPP Tony Martin, who was born in nearby Carlingford, County Louth.

"The visit allowed Tony the opportunity to visit his native Carlingford that he left when he was twelve as his parents uprooted their family of seven of which he was the eldest and headed off for a new life in Canada in 1960," the newspaper said, pointing out that Martin's mother Rose attended a meeting at which the Sault delegation was introduced to Louth County chairman Tommy Reilly.

Louth County chairman to visit Sault this winter

Reilly is expected to pay a return visit to Sault Ste. Marie this winter.

Mayor Rowswell (shown above being interviewed by the Irish media last week) advised SooToday through assistant city clerk Malcolm White that he was unable to provide updates to Sault journalists.

"He has had to lend his power supply equipment (transformers etc.) to the Tony Martin group as their equipment broke down. He is therefore unable to respond to your request for pictures/news releases etc.," White advised us on Thursday.

Martin has posted photographs and streaming video from the trip on his website. You can go there by clicking here.

Bruce Strapp, president and chief executive officer of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation, told SooToday News on Thursday that 27 Sault and Northern Ontario business representatives on the trip held more than 200 half-hour meetings with Irish counterparts.

Belfast coverage

The Sault delegation's visit was also noted in Sunday's edition of the Belfast Telegraph, which reported that a new Transnational Networking Bureau may be established to promote trade links between northwest Ireland and Canada, the U.S., Central Europe, and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Additional information

To read the Dundalk Argus coverage, click here.

To read a second Argus article, including coverage and photographs of a well-received presentation by Garden River's Turtle Concepts group, click here.

For coverage in the Belfast Telegraph, click here.

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