<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>PETTIGREW TO ATTEND APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING AND LEAD TRADE MISSION TO AUSTRALIA</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>May 26, 2000 <em>(12:00 p.m. EDT)</em> No. 119</strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>PETTIGREW TO ATTEND APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING AND LEAD TRADE MISSION TO
AUSTRALIA</strong></font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Minister for International Trade Pierre Pettigrew will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Trade Ministerial Meeting in Australia June 6 and 7. Minister Pettigrew will also take this opportunity to
lead a business mission to Australia from May 29 to June 2.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Ministers responsible for trade in APEC member economies are holding their sectoral ministerial meeting in
Darwin, Australia. The APEC Trade Ministerial will focus on several key global trade issues including APEC's
support for the multilateral trading system and recent developments in subregional trade agreements.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"One of our key priorities this year is to strengthen trade facilitation within APEC," said Mr. Pettigrew. "By
increasing trade with APEC member economies, we can increase exports and help sustain jobs in Canada."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Minister Pettigrew will lead the Canadian delegation and will be accompanied by Canadian parliamentarians.
Canada will support APEC's continued efforts to contribute to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the
multilateral trading system.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Ministers will be discussing the resurgence of subregional trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific region. Mr.
Pettigrew plans to share information about Canada's own trade agreements and how they contribute to APEC
and the WTO. Apart from trade-related objectives, Canada will also encourage discussion on issues related to
greater non-governmental involvement in APEC.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Prior to the APEC meeting, Mr. Pettigrew will lead a trade mission to Australia to boost trade and investment
between the two countries. A delegation of Canadian business representatives will accompany the minister to
Melbourne and Sydney.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Canada and Australia share a similar business culture, which facilitates the establishment of partnerships
there; this is particularly helpful for small and medium-sized businesses and for first-time exporters," Mr.
Pettigrew noted.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Australia's well-developed infrastructure makes it an inviting place for Canadian companies. Canadian exports
to Australia reached almost $947 million in 1999, making it Canada's 14th largest export destination. Canadian
sales in Australia continue to be oriented towards manufactured goods and end user products. Two-way trade
between Canada and Australia totalled nearly $2.2 billion last year. Canadian investment in Australia amounts
to about $2.8 billion, and more than 150 Canadian companies have subsidiaries operating in Australia.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The commercial environment in Australia is exceptionally attractive to Canadian business. The country's
economy, the fourth largest in Asia-Pacific, experienced a solid growth of 4.5 percent in 1999 and is expected
to remain above 3.8 percent in 2000.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For more information about the mission, visit the Team Canada Web site at <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220181749/http://www.tcm-mec.gc.ca/">http://www.tcm-mec.gc.ca</a>.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 - </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Sylvie Bussières</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister for International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
</body>
</html>
