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<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>2004/3 <u>CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY</u></strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>THE HONOURABLE GAR KNUTSON,</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>MINISTER OF STATE (NEW AND EMERGING MARKETS),</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>AT THE CANADA RECEPTION AT MAP INDIA</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong>DELHI, India</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"><strong>January 28, 2004</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Let me begin by thanking the organizers of Map India for this opportunity to address the
conference. I also want to thank everyone for the welcome I have received since
arriving in India. I have been very impressed by the people I have met and the places I
have visited.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">India is a priority for Canada. In fact, Prime Minister Paul Martin has asked me, as
Minister of State (New and Emerging Markets), to focus on three priority markets: India,
Brazil and China. I am very pleased to have been able to make India the first of these
countries to visit since my appointment.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Trade between our countries has now reached close to $ 2.5 billion. However, I believe
that the volume of trade is still low, probably a fraction of what it should be. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">As one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, with a dynamic
knowledge economy that capitalizes on its technological capacity, and an abundance of
highly skilled knowledge workers, Canada is a clear partner for the new India. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">To support this partnership, our two countries already have a very strong human
connection; approximately 1 in every 30 Canadians is of South Asian descent.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Building on this people-to-people foundation, Canada is expanding its diplomatic
presence in India. We have recently opened a consulate general in Chandigarh, and
will soon be establishing a presence in Chennai. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Over the past 18 months, there has also been dynamic growth in Indo-Canadian
cooperation in the sector that concerns most of you here this evening, the earth
sciences sector.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In November 2002, Herb Dhaliwal, Canada's former Minister of Natural Resources, led
a mission to India during which two government-to-government cooperation
agreements were signed.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In March 2003, Ramesh Bais, former Minister of Mines of the Government of India,
visited Canada. During this visit, a further MOU for cooperation in geosciences was
signed.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In November 2003, a business development mission led by the Assistant Deputy
Minister of Natural Resources Canada, Irwin Itzkovitch, visited India. This mission saw
the first meeting of the India-Canada geomatics working group. The working group
discussed how the Government of Canada and the Canadian private sector could
assist India in implementing a national spatial data infrastructure program with a
particular focus on the needs of India's rural communities.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">This visit also laid the groundwork for the creation of the India-Canada geosciences
working group. The first meeting of this working group will take place in Toronto on the
margins of the 2004 World Mines Ministries Forum and the Prospector and Developers
Association of Canada Conference in March of this year.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">As part of our long-term commitment to and our cooperation with India in the earth
sciences, Canada is proud to be taking part in Map India 2004. Canada is a strong
proponent of geospatial democracy and a firm believer that access to geospatial
information can empower communities to make their own decisions. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In addition to representatives of our ministry of natural resources, Canadian industry is
represented here by the participation of four leading companies: Info Electronics, PCI
Geomatics, Optech and DVP.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">I encourage you to visit these firms' booths to become more familiar with their
capabilities.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">I am very pleased that Canada is closely associated with this conference and a key
partner of India in the earth sciences industry. We are also pleased to host the
reception that will begin in a few minutes, where I hope to meet many Canadians and
friends of Canada. Your presence demonstrates the growing ties between our two
countries.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">I look forward to learning more about India during this visit, and to be a regular visitor to
this part of the world. Most of all, I hope to continue meeting people such as you who
are in the forefront of cooperation between our two countries.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Thank you.</font></p>
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