I want to thank you for the interest you take in the trade portfolio. The headlines aren't always flashy, so I
appreciate your convincing your editors that trade is worth the space. I will talk briefly about what we've achieved in the past year and give you a sense of where we want to go as we move forward. I can then take a
few questions before I leave.
It's been one year since Prime Minister Paul Martin created a new international trade department to help build a strong 21st-century economy.
Linked to more than one in four jobs here
at home, trade and investment are the lifeblood of Canada's economy. A globally competitive economy is necessary to ensure the quality of life and job opportunities of Canadians, and to provide the means to support
social goals.
This is why the Prime Minister created a stand-alone department of international trade. As a full department, we are able to respond speedily and flexibly to new economic realities around the world. We
take a full role in promoting Canada's economic interests and priorities.
Other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan, have seen these same benefits and have also focused their
international efforts through separate departments.
The idea is that if you have one "hub" inside government that brings together everything from trade to investment, it brings focus to the prosperity and
Canadian economic interests of our international agenda.
This morning, we introduced the International Trade Canada Act in Parliament. In the past 12 months, we have made significant progress in terms of setting the
wheels in motion for a strong, new, flexible department; also, internationally and domestically, we have opened new consulates, won a series of trade disputes and made emerging markets a key priority of the government.
As the Prime Minister discussed last night, the world is changing. So-called paradigm shifts are happening beyond North America, and everyone must adapt. If not, we will be left behind. For example, global economic
power and influence is shifting. The integration of markets is accelerating and widening.
Today's business models are driven by investment, by value chains and by information technology. And competition is tough,
with the cost of complacency rising fast. While managing an important and complex transition, International Trade Canada has improved its level of service to missions in more than 150 cities worldwide.
We have been
actively deepening partnerships with business, provinces, territories, municipalities and other stakeholders, and articulating and pursuing strategic objectives in North America, both in mature markets and among
emerging economic partners.
On the North American front, we have shown that we take our Canada-U.S. relationship very seriously. We established a secretariat in Washington to coordinate our efforts south of the
border. We opened seven new consulates to ensure enhanced representation in the U.S. We will soon embark on advocacy days south of the border, during which members of all political stripes will be able to engage in
constructive dialogue.
While retaliation is certainly not our preferred option, we and seven other WTO members won the right to retaliate against the U.S. should the U.S. not repeal the Byrd Amendment. Byrd was found
to be illegal by the WTO, and we will not hesitate to defend the rights of Canadians and industries until this happens.
Notwithstanding this, we celebrated 10 great years of NAFTA, under which 96 percent of our trade
works, and works well.
The Prime Minister and the President last week agreed to a new era of working together here in North America and beyond.
We have established the Canada-Mexico partnership to enhance trade
and investment flows, and to help small and medium-sized businesses succeed in a strong North American market.
We have mounted a strong defence vis-¥?is the United States. It has been a busy but successful year on
the litigation front for softwood lumber, with eight victories--three WTO cases and five NAFTA panels. We are on our last mile, so to speak, with the results of an Extraordinary Challenge Committee (ECC) expected next
spring.
We have also nurtured our relationships with key mature markets, such as the EU--recently agreeing on a framework for the Trade Enhancement Investment Agreement. Not only does this have the potential of
making trade flow better, it complements the WTO's focus on market access.
And we are securing new bilateral frameworks to stimulate trade and investment with Japan.
As I discussed, emerging economic partners have also been in our sights.
As you know, we have been hard at work developing a plan to best address the new challenges and opportunities that China, India and Brazil
bring.
The recent round tables with academia, civil society and industry told us that:
-- emerging markets represent significant opportunities and potential for Canadian firms, but a whole-of-government
approach is needed;
-- NAFTA was a success, so let's build on it;
-- our efforts on policy and investment instruments must focus on providing the greatest benefit; and our actions must take
into account considerations of good governance, social justice and humanitarian goals.
This afternoon, I will be asking a sub-committee of Parliament to embark on public consultations, to ensure that all Canadians
have a say on how we move forward with these economic giants.
We have also launched exploratory talks with South Korea on a possible free trade agreement, since South Korea is a gateway to where we want to be. We are
in talks with China and India on foreign investment protection agreements.
Joined by some 50 companies from a broad range of industries across the country, I recently led a trade mission to Brazil, during which both
countries agreed to turn over a new leaf. The Prime Minister and I have both committed to sustaining this momentum.
On the instruments front, Canada continues to advocate for a rules-based multilateral trading system
that works. I cannot say enough about how important the negotiation of a successful July Framework was in starting to bring developing countries into the world trading system. Canada worked closely with the U.S., the EU
and other countries, and we must continue to do so.
We have advanced Canadian interests at NAFTA, the WTO and APEC, among others.
We have put in place a more flexible departmental structure, through which rapid
response teams from across the government are formed to address commercial opportunities and challenges. Our new World Markets Branch will go a long way toward helping position Canada in the world of global supply
chains.
I've listed the beginnings of many interesting projects, like the advocacy days and our emerging markets plan, and we will be working hard over the coming year to ensure that all of these succeed.
I also
intend to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure deeper, more secure access to the crucial U.S. market. I can't do my job without Canada's businesses and I can't sell Canada to the world without their success.
Looking ahead, I see a continued strong collaboration with provinces and territories and industry on trade issues, as well as between myself and my colleagues in other departments whose files cross-cut with mine. I
intend to meet with my provincial counterparts twice a year or more, as needed, and talk often.
We want to maintain momentum in global trade liberalization, including in multilateral, regional and bilateral trade
negotiations.
Canada hopes to see the Free Trade Area of the Americas talks regain momentum. On the WTO, we want to see success in Hong Kong in December 2005.
I will work as hard as possible with the provinces and
industry to see the softwood lumber dispute ended, and the border reopened to live cattle. We want to work toward making dispute resolution work better for the good of North America.
We want to showcase Canadian
companies as highly attractive partners in emerging chains of supply and production worldwide.
We plan to ensure that Canada remains an attractive destination for foreign direct investment. To be honest, it is our
hope that KPMG will once again find Canada the best place to invest in North America.
International Trade Canada will support Canadian companies in their activities abroad and we hope to help 18,000 companies abroad
next year.
I want to ensure that domestic economic policies support and reflect international trade and investment priorities.
