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<title>FINAL COMMUNIQUÉFEDERAL, PROVINCIAL MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE </title>
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<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">February 19, 1998 No. 36 </font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR
INTERNATIONAL TRADE </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Courier">Under the Chairmanship of the Minister for International Trade, Sergio Marchi,
federal and provincial ministers responsible for international trade met in
Ottawa on February 19, 1998, to address issues of common interest in
international trade, investment, and business development with a view to job
creation and economic growth.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Affirming their commitment to obtaining secure and enhanced access for Canadian
goods and services providers abroad, Ministers agreed to intensify their joint
efforts in pursuing Canadian priorities in current and forthcoming negotiations
in the World Trade Organization, particularly in respect of the agriculture and
agri-food sector, and, regionally, in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Ministers reviewed in detail issues and recent developments concerning the
proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment. </font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Noting that negotiations will not conclude this April and will continue for a
significant period of time, they agreed on the desirability of public
consultations to defend key interests in such areas as labour, the environment,
health and other social services, natural resources, culture, expropriation, and
extraterritoriality.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Ministers shared their experience in international business development,
including through Team Canada missions, and discussed how best to build on their
success to date. They agreed that an expanded "Team Canada Inc" network,
including simplified access to exporter services and improved co-ordination of
trade missions, is one means to ensure that the federal-provincial-territorial
partnership better contributes to economic growth throughout the country. They
agreed to establish a federal-provincial-territorial task force to examine and
report within six months on how better to co-ordinate federal, provincial, and
territorial initiatives on trade and investment promotion, as well as trade
missions.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Ministers also agreed that foreign investment into Canada is important to job
creation and economic growth, and that Canada offers a highly competitive and
attractive environment. They agreed to strengthen their co-operation in
investment attraction to promote the country aggressively in key markets and
sectors, and in continuing to improve the investment climate at home.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Ministers explored ways and means to improve federal-provincial-territorial co-operation on trade policy and international business development matters, and
agreed that officials should continue their work in this regard. They agreed that
early and ongoing political engagement by governments is essential. To this end,
they agreed to meet again within a year and, thereafter, on a regular basis and
as needed.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Participants expressed their thanks to Minister Marchi for having taken the
initiative to convene this meeting, as had been suggested by Premiers at their
last annual conference.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Courier">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Leslie Swartman</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister for International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
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