Addis Ababa,July 31(ENA)--Members of the Budget and Finance Standing Committee of the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives, which is on experinece sharing working visit to Canada since a fortnight ago, held wide-ranging discussions with the members of the Ethiopian community in Ontario province and its environs last Sunday.

The delegation led by House Speaker, Dawit Yohannes on the occasion briefed the Ethiopians about the economic, social and political activities carried out over the past 12 years in Ethiopia.

Dawit told his fellow countrymen that over the reported period wide-ranging activities had been undertaken in Ethiopia under a participatory reform measures.

Dawit said legal grounds were being cemented to further ensuring democratic and human rights of citizens.

He said huge efforts were exerted to avert the impacts of the current drought, to ensure food security and to halt the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Referring to the capacity building endeavors underway in the nation, Dawit said private higher learning institutions have been mushrooming and school enrolment coverage has reached an unprecedented level.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release sent to ENA on Thursday quoted Dawit as saying a large scale information technology project is going to begin in September.

He said various activities were also being carried out in the fronts of good governance, democratization as well as cultural promotion and justice system enhancement.

The delegation's visit was upon the invitation extended by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The Ethiopian Embassy in Canada organized the discussion forum.