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Ottawa, February 6, 2004
2005-009

Minister of Finance Announces Annual Meetings with U.S. Treasury Secretary

Finance Minister Ralph Goodale announced today that he and the U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow have agreed to institute annual bilateral meetings between their two departments at the ministerial level.

"This is a positive sign of a new, more sophisticated approach between Canada and the United States," said Minister Goodale following a private meeting with Secretary Snow. "As partners in the world’s largest trading relationship, as well as neighbours and friends, regularly scheduled annual meetings will help us work together on issues of common interest in North America and beyond."

Today’s meeting was the first between Minister Goodale and Secretary Snow. They discussed the economic outlooks of both nations, border security, BSE, wheat marketing, agricultural subsides, softwood lumber and the fight against terrorist financing.

The bilateral meeting came in advance of the February 6-7 meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Florida. Among the expected agenda items during the G-7 meeting are financial and economic reforms in Afghanistan and Iraq, international development, global economic prospects, emerging market nations and terrorist financing.

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