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<title>PETTIGREW ISSUES CANADA'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN THE FTAA</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>February 23, 2001 <em>(8:30 a.m. EST)</em></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong></strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>No. 26 </strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"><strong></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>PETTIGREW ISSUES CANADA'S RECOMMENDATIONS </strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN THE FTAA</strong></font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew today issued Canada's proposals on strengthening civil society
participation in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiating process. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canada's recommendations were submitted to the FTAA Committee of Government Representatives on the
Participation of Civil Society. The Committee receives submissions from groups and organizations throughout
the hemisphere on a range of social and economic issues.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Canada is the leader in the hemisphere in engaging civil society, and we believe this committee can play a key
role in promoting a more transparent and inclusive approach to the FTAA process," said Minister Pettigrew. "It's
been Canada's experience that the better informed people are, the more they'll support trade liberalization."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canada's specific recommendations to the committee include: </font></p>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial">forwarding civil society submissions received by the Committee to relevant negotiating groups, committees
and institutions;</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">issuing regular status reports on FTAA negotiations;</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">making FTAA documentation publicly available whenever possible; and</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial">hosting regular public meetings throughout the hemisphere on specific issues related to the FTAA
negotiations.</font></li>
</ul>
<p><font face="Arial">The Committee meets regularly as a consultative body in the negotiations and serves as a forum for input from
citizen-based groups, the business community and non-governmental organizations. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The FTAA is integral to the Summit of the Americas process that links economic growth to social development
in raising standards of living, improving working conditions and better protecting the environment throughout the
Americas. The next FTAA Ministerial will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 7.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">More information on Canada's proposals can be found at <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221042959/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/Civilsociety-e.asp">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/Civilsociety-e.asp</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">Media Relations</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
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