February 20, 1998 No. 37

MINISTER MARCHI WELCOMES ELECTION OF CANADIAN AS CHAIR OF THE WTO GENERAL COUNCIL

International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi today welcomed the election of John Weekes, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Office of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, as Chair of the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"Ambassador Weekes'experience in bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations will provide invaluable guidance to WTO members as they face the challenges ahead," said Minister Marchi. "The Ambassador's election reflects Canada's continued leadership in the multilateral trading system."

Canada was both an original signatory to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 50 years ago and an original member of the WTO, which celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the multilateral trading system on May 20, 1998. The WTO will hold a celebration immediately after its Ministerial Conference in Geneva, May 18 to 19.

The objective of the WTO is to secure and enhance market access in goods, services, and intellectual property through predictable, transparent, and enforceable trade rules. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WTO was established by the Marrakesh Declaration in 1994 and came into force in 1995. The WTO replaced the GATT, which was established in Geneva in 1948. Ambassador Weekes was Chair of the GATT Council (predecessor to the WTO General Council) in 1989.

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Biographical Notes are attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Leslie Swartman

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Biographical Notes

JOHN M. WEEKES

Permanent Representative of Canada

In September 1995, Ambassador Weekes became the Permanent Representative of Canada to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva and the World Trade Organization (WTO). He is the Chairman of the newly created WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements, and also chairs the Working Party on the Accession of Saudi Arabia to the WTO.

From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Weekes was Senior Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for managing Canada's relations with the United States and Co-ordinator for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was Canada's Chief Negotiator for the North American Free Trade Negotiations from 1991 to 1994. During this period, Mr. Weekes was also the Assistant Deputy Minister for Trade Policy.

Previously, Mr. Weekes was Ambassador to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Geneva, and was elected Chairman of the GATT Council for the year 1988-89 and, subsequently, as Chairman of the GATT Contracting Parties for 1989-90. Mr. Weekes also served as Chairman of the Uruguay Round Negotiating Group dealing with the reform of various articles of the GATT.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to GATT, Mr. Weekes served in trade policy positions in Ottawa from 1979-87, including as Director General for Trade Policy. From 1973 to 1979, Mr. Weekes was a member of Canada's delegation to the Tokyo Round of GATT negotiations.

Earlier, Mr. Weekes was posted to the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade and in 1974 was a member of the Canadian Delegation to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).

Mr. Weekes was born in Toronto in 1943. He received an Honours BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Toronto in 1966 and the same year joined the Department of External Affairs. He is married to Arlene Weekes (Harris) and they have two children.