MINISTER PETERSON TO TRAVEL TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IN SUPPORT OF
CANADA-ARAB BUSINESS COUNCIL ACTIVITIES
International Trade Minister Jim Peterson will travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(UAE) from September 17 to 19, 2005, to support Canadian trade and investment
opportunities in this key finance and trading hub in the Middle East.
Minister Peterson will participate in several events organized by the Canada-Arab
Business Council (CABC). He will be joined by representatives from approximately
21 Canadian organizations and companies.
This visit will include a tour of the Emirates-CAE Flight Training Centre in Dubai, which
represents a major investment by Canada’s world-leading flight simulator manufacturer,
CAE of Montreal. Minister Peterson will also open the offices of Cansult Limited in
Sharjah. Cansult is a Markham, Ontario firm of consulting engineers and project
managers.
Canadian sectors of interest in the UAE include project management, architecture and
engineering, construction products and services, agri-food, information and
communications technologies, education, health, and retail franchising. Canadian
companies with significant recent successes in the UAE include Alcatel Canada,
Bombardier Aerospace, Bregman and Hamann Architects (B+H), CAE, Cansult Limited,
the Royal Canadian Mint and SNC Lavalin.
The Minister’s visit to the UAE advances Canada’s emerging markets strategy, which
concentrates on initiatives needed now for China, India and Brazil, while recognizing
other markets such as the Arabian Peninsula as important to Canada’s economic
well-being.
The UAE has a fast-growing and vibrant economy and is the main financial hub of the
Arab world. Canada exported almost $420 million in products to the UAE in 2004, and
bilateral trade was nearly $510 million. This is the second mission to the region over
the past year. Last December, Parliamentary Secretary Mark Eyking led a CABC
mission to Qatar, Yemen and Egypt.
Event:
Opening ceremony for offices of Cansult Limited (ribbon-cutting ceremony
and photo opportunity
Date:
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Time:
12:00 p.m.
Location:
Offices of Cansult Limited
Sharjah Expo Centre
Sharjah, UAE
Event:
Luncheon hosted by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce (photo opportunity)
Date:
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Time:
12:30 p.m.
Location:
Sharjah Expo Centre
Sharjah, UAE
Event:
Canadian Business Council Networking Breakfast (Minister's speech and
photo opportunity)
Date:
Monday, September 19, 2005
Time:
9:00 a.m., minister’s speech at 10:00 a.m.
Location:
The Fairmont Dubai
33rd Floor, Gulf Auditorium
Sheikh Zayeb Road, opposite Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai, UAE
Event:
Tour of Emirates-CAE Flight Training Centre (photo opportunity)
Date:
Monday, September 19, 2005
Time:
11:00 a.m.
Location:
Office of the Emirates-CAE Flight Training Centre
Al Garhoud district, near Dubai airport
Dubai, UAE
Tel.: +971 (50) 456-4592
Event:
Meeting with Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, H.E. Sultan bin
Nasser Al-Suwaidi (photo opportunity)
Date:
Monday, September 19, 2005
Time:
8:00 p.m. TBC
Location:
TBD
Dubai, UAE
For more information, please contact:
Jacqueline LaRocque
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International Trade
(613) 992-7332
Media Relations Office
International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874
