ABC - Current Industry News
Canada Commits to Strengthening WTO
2009-12-03 - FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE CANADA
December 2, 2009
The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the World Trade Organization in order to increase global trade. The announcement follows high-level talks in Geneva with his WTO counterparts from 152 countries.
“As a trading nation, Canada has much to gain from participating in the WTO, which is the best forum for strengthening trade with other economies, including our most important partners,” said Minister Day. “It is now more important than ever to resist protectionism and to open new markets. Canada supports an ambitious conclusion to the Doha Development Round, which would generate prosperity and speed up the global recovery. Canada will do everything possible to support the WTO in this objective.” …
Canada is an active participant in the WTO Doha negotiations. Canadian agricultural producers, manufacturers and service providers stand to benefit from the increased access to global markets and strengthened trade rules that a successful Doha Round would provide…
While in Geneva, Minister Day met with Kim Jong-hoon, the Republic of Korea’s Minister of Trade, to discuss the status of negotiations toward a Canada-Korea free trade agreement, as well as Canada’s desire to regain access to the Korean market for beef. He also met with Abdellatif Mazouz, Minister of External Trade for Morocco. Both Minister Day and Minister Mazouz expressed their commitment to moving forward on a potential free trade agreement, with formal negotiations to be launched as soon as possible….