Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller left the island yesterday for a five-day official visit to Canada.

Simpson Miller, who was invited by that country's prime minister, Stephen Harper, will hold bilateral talks with her counterpart on a range of issues including trade, investment and development.

In various engagements, Simpson Miller will also meet potential investors and members of the tourism and travel trade, address Canadian business and civic leaders as well as Jamaicans living in Canada.

The prime minister will also meet with Canada's governor general, David Johnston, and be hosted at a welcome ceremony where she will be met by No'l A. Kinsella, speaker of the Senate, and Andrew Scheer, speaker of the House of Commons.

Other activities during the five-day official visit will include a joint reception hosted by Simpson Miller and Harper, and a meeting between Simpson Miller and David C. Onley, lieutenant governor of Ontario.

The visit will also include a meeting with members of the Jamaican diaspora in Canada where she will update them on government policies and programmes.

Simpson Miller is accom-panied by Senator A.J. Nicholson, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade; Onika Miller, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, and Ricardo Allicock, director of bilateral relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The prime minister will return to Jamaica on Friday and during her absence, Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips will be in charge of the Government.