PETTIGREW TO PARTICIPATE INFIFTH WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN CANCÚN
September 4, 2003 (11:00 a.m. EDT) No. 126
PETTIGREW TO PARTICIPATE IN
FIFTH WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN CANCÚN
International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew will lead a Canadian delegation to the Fifth World Trade
Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, in Cancún, Mexico, taking place from September 10 to 14, 2003.
He will be accompanied by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief and International Cooperation
Minister Susan Whelan.
Trade ministers from 146 countries will gather to assess progress and provide momentum and direction for the
current round of negotiations, known as the Doha Development Agenda, which was launched in November
2001, following the ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar.
"It is essential in Cancún that we re-affirm our commitment to the goals and objectives that we set in Doha,"
said Minister Pettigrew. "This is a mid-term review. There is still a long way to go and much work ahead to
ensure a successful round. Improved global trade rules will open up new markets for Canadians and create
new opportunities at home, as well as benefit developing countries."
Canada's particular interests in the Doha Development Agenda of trade negotiations are:
• fundamental reform of world agricultural trade;
• better, more assured access to markets for non-agricultural goods and services worldwide; and
• strengthening and clarifying trade rules, particularly in the areas of anti-dumping, countervailing duties and
subsidies.
"We are going to Cancún to continue the fight for a level playing field for Canada's agriculture sector," said
Minister Vanclief. "We will work to ensure that ministers provide the direction and scope for negotiators to
continue to work after Cancún toward an ambitious outcome that is fair and equitable for all countries."
Considering the needs of developing countries and advancing the cause of sustainable development through
these negotiations are also central to Canada's objectives in the Doha Development Agenda.
"Trade matters to sustainable development. With over a billion people living in abject poverty, we cannot afford
to overlook the opportunities that trade can offer for economic growth and poverty reduction," said Minister
Whelan. "But economic growth must also take into account social development and the environment. Canada is
committed to helping developing countries benefit from the multilateral trading system."
Federal, provincial and municipal elected representatives and officials will be participating in the Fifth WTO
Ministerial Conference. In addition, some 80 Canadian organizations (including NGOs, business associations,
academics, etc.) registered with the WTO are expected to be in Cancún. Among participating countries,
Canada will have the second-largest contingent of organizations on site.
Canada's objectives on specific policy areas at the WTO are developed through ongoing consultation and
regular communication with interested Canadians. A detailed backgrounder can be found at:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/WTO/backgrounder-en.asp
In Cancún, Canadian government officials will meet every evening with Canadians to provide updates and
share information on the proceedings. For the first time, these daily sessions will be Webcast for the benefit of
those who cannot attend in person. The Webcasts will be available at:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/WTO/webcast-en.asp
General information on the Canadian presence in Cancún can also be found at the Trade Negotiations and
Agreements Web site of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: http://www.wto.gc.ca
More information on the current agriculture negotiations is also available at: http://www.agr.gc.ca/itpd-dpci/english/current/wto.htm
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister for International Trade
(613) 992-7332
sebastien.theberge@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
Donald Boulanger
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
(613) 759-1761
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(613) 759-7972
http://www.agr.gc.ca
Marta Anderson
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister for International Cooperation
(819) 953-6238
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency
(819) 953-6534
info@acdi-cida.gc.ca
http://www.cida.gc.ca
This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca