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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 22, 2005 <i>(1:00 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 229</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">MINISTER PETERSON MEETS PROVINCIAL COUNTERPARTS TO
DISCUSS WTO DOHA DEVELOPMENT TALKS</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">International Trade Minister Jim Peterson and provincial trade ministers and officials
met in Ottawa today to discuss the current round of World Trade Organization (WTO)
negotiations, also known as the Doha Development Agenda. The meeting was a
continuation of ongoing consultations in preparation for the sixth WTO Ministerial
Conference in Hong Kong, December 13 to 18, 2005.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“The provinces and territories have been important partners in developing Canada’s
negotiating positions,” said Minister Peterson. “Our meeting today ensured that they
had a further opportunity to inform our approach in advance of the Hong Kong
Conference.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister Peterson provided an overview of the current WTO talks and outlined
Canada’s contributions to the negotiations, including recent meetings held in Zurich and
Geneva. Ministers had a valuable exchange on ways to strategically advance Canadian
negotiating positions in support of an ambitious and successful completion of the Doha
Development Agenda. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Ministers are united in their commitment to the Doha Development Round and the
trade talks,” said the Minister. “Together we will advance Canada’s interests at the
Conference.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canadian prosperity depends on improved market access and subsidy reductions.
Canada is pushing hard for an environment that will allow Canadians to compete fairly
and equitably in global markets. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“It is possible to have an ambitious outcome at Hong Kong across all sectors, while
maintaining the right of Canadian producers to use orderly marketing systems, such as
supply management and the Canadian Wheat Board,” added the Minister.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">World trade is vital to Canada’s continued prosperity and quality of life. Trade is
equivalent in value to as much as 70 percent of our gross domestic product and one in
five jobs are linked to international commerce. In the negotiations, Canada is seeking
better market access for agriculture and for industrial goods and services; a level
playing field for agriculture; improved trade rules; and deeper integration of developing
countries into the global economy. Canada is working hard to achieve an outcome that
will provide the best possible results benefit exporters, importers, investors and
consumers.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister Peterson also outlined the key elements of CAN-Trade to his counterparts and
encouraged their active participation in the government-wide initiative. Proposed in the
November 14th Economic and Fiscal Update, CAN-Trade is a $470 million action plan
to provide Canadian communities and businesses—particularly small and medium
sized enterprises—with the 21st-century knowledge, tools and market support they
need to succeed in today’s global marketplace. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ministers also discussed the importance of trade agreements and the need to respect
NAFTA.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ten provinces were represented at the ministerial meeting by six trade ministers from
British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and
senior officials from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and
Labrador.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The following ministers were present at the meeting: Colin Hansen,</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">British Columbia Minister of Economic Development; Edward Stelmach, Alberta
Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations; Joseph Cordiano, Ontario
Minister of Economic Development and Trade; Claude Béchard, Quebec Minister of
Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade; Ernest L. Fage, Nova Scotia
Minister of Economic Development; and Kevin J. MacAdam, PEI Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Aquaculture.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Jacqueline LaRocque<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade<br>
(613) 992-7332</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221003834/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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