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<p><font size="+1"><strong></strong></font><font size="+1"><strong>November 15, 1999 (3:40 p.m. EST) No. 245</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong><center>PETTIGREW ANNOUNCES CANADA'S POSITION</center>
</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong><center>ON WTO NEGOTIATIONS</strong></font></center>
</p>
<p>International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today presented to Parliament Canada's
position for upcoming negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). </p>
<p>The report, "Canada and the future of the World Trade Organization," describes in
detail the approach Canada will take when the world's trade ministers meet in Seattle in
late November. It directly answers 45 recommendations made by an all-party
Parliamentary committee, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International
Trade.</p>
<p>"Parliamentarians and citizens have told us that they support Canada's role in
international trade talks, as long as they benefit Canadians as a whole, that they reflect
our heritage of democracy and openness, and our ongoing quest for a just society,"
said Minister Pettigrew. </p>
<p>"Canada's position is both forward-looking and balanced. Our economy is based on
exports, and we must continue to press for increased access for our goods and
services. At the same time, we will continue to safeguard Canada's vital social
interests."</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
held 30 public sessions and heard from more than 400 Canadians from a variety of
business, labour, environmental, academic and human rights groups. The Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade also directly consulted industry sectors and
citizen groups throughout the spring and summer and will continue to do so during
negotiations.</p>
<p>"For at least the last 50 years, Canada has been helping to write the international rule
book, to emphasize rules, not brute power, as the key to international peace and order,"
said the Minister. "Our continued work at the WTO is a worthy chapter in that book."</p>
<p><center>- 30 -</center>
</p>
<p>A backgrounder on Canada's position is attached. </p>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<p>Sylvie Bussières</p>
<p>Office of the Minister for International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 992-7332</p>
<p>Media Relations Office</p>
<p>Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"><strong></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>Backgrounder</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>CANADA AND THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION</strong></font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"><center></center>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In late November, Canada will join the 130-plus member countries of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) in Seattle to launch a new series of global trade negotiations. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Today, the Government of Canada lays out its detailed approach to the WTO with its
response to a report by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International
Trade. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The government's objectives in the upcoming trade negotiations are outlined below.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"><strong>Agriculture</strong></font></p>
<ul>
<li>•achieve significant improvements in market access for our agriculture and
agri-food products; </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•eliminate export subsidies for agriculture;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•<font face="Arial">achieve substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support;</font></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•maintain our orderly marketing systems;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•allow Canada to maintain its leadership in the commercialization of
biotechnology products, and to participate in a WTO working group on the
subject.</li>
</ul>
<p><font face="Arial"><strong>Market Access </strong></font></p>
<ul>
<li>•<font face="Arial">improve market access with our major trading partners, with particular attention
to fish and seafood, non-ferrous metals, wood products and value-added, high-technology products;</font></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•continue to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade that prevent Canadian
exporters from expanding and creating more jobs, particularly in agriculture and
services.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Trade Facilitation</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•facilitate international trade by developing new rules for border-related
procedures.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Trade Remedy Rules</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•strengthen multilateral disciplines on measures that can disrupt or distort trade
(e.g., anti-dumping, subsidies).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Government Procurement</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•support transparency in government procurement as a way to build stability and
confidence in a global marketplace;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•continue to work toward the elimination of discriminatory provisions in order to
improve access for Canadian firms in foreign markets.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Services </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•continue to liberalize trade in services, respecting national policy objectives and
the level of development of individual members.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Intellectual Property</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•extend the moratorium on the application of the non-violation provision of the
intellectual property agreement;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•ensure full and timely implementation of the Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS);</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•participate in ongoing work at the WTO and the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) aimed at improving the international intellectual property
framework.</li>
</ul>
<p><font face="Arial"><strong>Culture</strong></font></p>
<ul>
<li>•seek recognition of the importance of preserving and promoting cultural diversity;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•pursue a new international instrument to set out clear ground rules that would
enable countries to maintain policies that promote their culture.</li>
</ul>
<p><font face="Arial"><strong>Electronic Commerce</strong></font></p>
<ul>
<li>•continue the standstill on the application of customs duties to electronic
transmissions;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•continue an e-commerce work program by creating a non-negotiating working
group.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Investment</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•safeguard Canada's right to regulate, and to promote fundamental Canadian
values in strategic sectors such as health, education, culture and environmental
protection.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Competition Policy </strong><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<ul>
<li>•develop a framework agreement on competition policy that would provide for
common approaches to private anti-competitive behaviour that adversely affects
trade or investment liberalization, while maintaining the independence of
competition authorities.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Environment</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•ensure that negotiating groups take environmental considerations fully into
account so that trade policies and environmental policies are consistent and
complement one another.<font face="Arial"></font></li>
</ul>
<p><strong></strong><strong>Labour</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•work for official observer status at the WTO for the International Labour
Organization (ILO);</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•urge global compliance with the ILO's two main instruments on child labour and
worker rights.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Coherence</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•ensure that the multilateral trading system supports the international pursuit of
other goals, notably sustainable development and other social objectives.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Developing Countries</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•ensure that the benefits of the global trading system are realized in the world's
least developed societies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Consultations and Information for Citizens</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>•recognize the role of citizens in trade by ensuring that they are fully informed and
consulted about upcoming negotiations, especially on areas of more immediate
interest such as health and education;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>•continue to push for greater openness at the WTO, particularly broader and
quicker release of documents,<font face="Arial"> and improve the participation of
non-governmental groups at that organization.</font></li>
</ul>
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