NEWS RELEASES

November 25, 2004 (4:00 p.m. EST) No. 139

PETERSON WRAPS UP TWO WEEKS ABROAD:

TRADE MISSION, BILATERAL MEETINGS

International Trade Minister Jim Peterson today concluded the Canada trade mission to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where delegates made valuable business linkages with potential partners, created new business relationships and were able to build on existing ones.

“Canada is targeting Brazil as a key country in the emerging markets strategy it is developing,” said Minister Peterson. “Brazil is a gateway to South America and this mission has allowed us to build bridges for the long term.”

Brazil is currently Canada’s 16th-largest export market worldwide and 15th-largest trading partner. Key sectors include agriculture, biotechnology, environment, energy, oil and gas, mining, financial services, pulp and paper, information technologies and telecommunications.

Prime Minister Paul Martin met the delegation and Brazilian business people while in Sao Paulo, where he also addressed the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

While in Brazil, Minister Peterson met with Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and International Trade Luiz Furlan, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Roberto Rodrigues and Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim. All affirmed their commitment to working together to resolve the aircraft dispute between the two countries and to moving forward on the WTO Doha Development Round.

The Minister welcomed the results of the APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Santiago, Chile and bilateral discussions he held with his Chilean and South Korean counterparts, as well as other nations, on the margins of the AMM.

In their discussions, Ministers Peterson and Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Ignacio Walker agreed to continue enhancing bilateral trade and investment through the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA). They noted the progress in the negotiations to add a government procurement chapter to the CCFTA, and adopted two declarations that improve transparency and efficiency of the investment chapter. Minister Peterson also pressed Minister Walker to reopen the Chilean market to Canadian beef exports.

Following successful bilateral meetings with South Korean Minister for Trade Kim Hyon-chong, Minister Peterson welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Paul Martin and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun that the two countries will begin exploratory discussions on the feasibility of negotiating a free trade agreement.

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A backgrounder is attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Jacqueline LaRocque
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International Trade
(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca

Backgrounder

BRAZIL TRADE MISSION

Trade missions are an important part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to increase trade and investment and create jobs and economic growth in Canada. Trade missions open doors and establish long-term trade and investment links with foreign markets for Canadian businesses. The success of these missions is based not only on the business deals signed, but also on the relationships established that can lead to future business.

Some 50 representatives of Canadian business participated in the mission to Brazil. They made several positive comments about the mission.

“The presence of the Prime Minister along with the International Trade Minister added impetus to the mission. I believe it will give Canadian companies a good grounding to forge new deals and to explore the vast Brazilian market to their benefit,” said Edwin D’Cruz, Vice-President of Trade Finance at BMO Nesbitt Burns of Toronto, Ontario. “It also gave me an opportunity to meet other Canadian business people interested in the same market.”

“I consider this mission to be the best way to establish a business network in another market,” said Raphaël Picard, Band Chief of the Betsiamites Band Council of Betsiamites, Quebec. “The quality of the network planning that was done was obvious.”

“It was the personal touch with the Prime Minister, and particularly Jim Peterson taking his time with the business community to support Canadian exports and improved relations with Brazil, that made this trade mission such a success,” said Scott Shepherd of Northstar Trade Finance Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia. “Mr. Martin and Mr. Peterson juggled their political and economic responsibilities and devoted much of their schedules to individual discussions with the participants. Northstar has a significant number of opportunities to follow up in Brazil as a result of this value-added mission.”

“This has been the most focused trade mission I have been on,” said Rodney Peterson, President of Teilhard Technologies Inc. of Calgary, Alberta. I feel I have been able to make more headway because of the one-on-one meetings set up by the consulates and then from just being on site. We’re here to do business and we think Brazil is a good country to do business in. This kind of support helps me close contracts and get agreements.”

“Brazil has a population of close to 180 million people and about one third is middle class. That’s twice the population of all of Canada. Canada is so dependent on trade, it’s a good idea to be here,” said Charles Mayer of Teilhard Technologies Inc. of Calgary, Alberta. “The trade mission gives an overview of what is going on in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and also provides one-on-one sector-specific information.”

Added Bill Marrs, Brazil Market Project Director for the CIAL Group of Fisherville, Ontario: “This trade mission is a great help to fast-track agreements with Brazilian companies for clean development project investments—especially as there is intense and growing competition for these in-Brazil opportunities from European investment groups.”