2004/36 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS

BY THE HONOURABLE JIM PETERSON,

MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE,

AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF

THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF CANADA IN MIAMI

MIAMI, Florida

November 15, 2004

I am delighted to be here. I want to say at the outset how much I respect the courage and resilience that residents of Florida have shown in the face of the devastation caused by the recent hurricanes. Your strength has been witnessed the world over, and I am pleased to see that Florida is so clearly on the way to recovery.

Canada appreciates the close personal and business relationships we share with Florida. For example, among today’s sponsors, the Cirque du Soleil has a presence in Florida with one permanent stage in Orlando and annual visiting shows in Miami and Tampa.

Another sponsor, RBC Centura, is expanding its retail and commercial banking ventures throughout the Sunshine State. Yet another sponsor, Ellis Don, does business throughout Florida and the Caribbean from its base in Orlando. This company just helped to complete the new Miami Federal Courthouse, and is involved in the construction of the Miami Performing Arts Center.

In addition, the Fédération des caisses Desjardins has established offices in Hollywood in the heart of the Francophone community in Florida.

But not only do Canadian companies invest in Florida, many Florida companies have taken advantage of Canada’s business strengths and have opened key subsidiaries—companies like Harris Corporation, Catalina Lighting Inc. and Citrix Systems.

This is an impressive group of companies doing business both in Canada and in the U.S. And it is only the tip of the iceberg when you look closely at the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.

It is exactly because of our long history of partnerships that I am pleased to be here in Miami to celebrate yet another milestone as we officially open our upgraded Consulate General, which will play an important role in deepening our relationship with Florida residents and businesses.

What we are celebrating here today is part of a larger initiative to open and upgrade new consulates in the southern and southwest United States, reflecting population growth and commercial trends in recent years. We now have in place seven new consulates and two expanded ones.

Expanding our presence here reflects the world’s largest bilateral trading relationship and the opportunities available to us both.

Annual two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and the United States is worth $648.1 billion—about $1.8 billion every day. And it continues to grow, increasing at an average of almost 7.3 percent every year since 1993. Most important, our trade links support more than 5.2 million jobs in the United States.

Canada and the U.S. have one of the world’s largest direct investment relationships. U.S. foreign direct investment [FDI] in Canada in 2003 stood at approximately $228 billion, or 64 percent of the total FDI stock in Canada. Canadian direct investment in the U.S. in 2003 stood at approximately $165 billion, or 41 percent of total Canadian direct investment abroad.

Like any relationship, ours is fundamentally about people. Canadians and Americans have a great deal in common.

Our work together to bring peace and democracy to places in Afghanistan and Haiti is an example. Our efforts to open the world to trade through the WTO [World Trade Organization] are another. We share a strong commitment to NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement]. Our common values as citizens of North America are also reflected in the constant flow of people, goods, services and ideas across our shared, secure border.

Of course, as in any relationship, there are bound to be challenges. High-profile cases related to BSE [bovine spongiform encephalopathy], softwood lumber, wheat and swine afflict all of North America right now—not just Canada, but all of North America.

Let’s be clear: Protectionism protects no one. There is no scientific reason why the border should remain closed to Canadian beef. In fact, evidence shows the border should have been opened long ago.

On softwood lumber, panel after panel has found that Canadian companies should not be paying duties when Canadian softwood lumber crosses the border. As Indiana Republican Congressman Mark Souder said last week, Americans want Canadian softwood lumber. Canada wants to deliver it.

Also worthy of note is the fact that you would be paying less for your lumber if these duties were removed. In fact, when these disputes do emerge, we are truly given the opportunity to see how much our two economies are integrated. When the United States takes action on a Canadian product—like softwood lumber—it has negative repercussions in both Canada and the United States.

North America is in many respects a single market of consumers—when the United States imposes duties on Canadian lumber, it harms U.S. homebuilders and home buyers. That’s why resolving these issues is a top priority for me, and I look forward to working with my counterparts in the Bush administration to that end.

Now, with elections behind us and renewed relationships on both sides of the border, we must rise to the challenge for the good of all of North America. But the fact remains—and I can’t say this often enough—that more than 96 percent of our trade is problem-free. One of my most important goals is to get that figure as close to 100 percent as I can.

How, you ask? There is no counterpart with whom I speak more often than Robert Zoellick, a man for whom I have great respect. And Don Evans, who recently announced he is leaving, will be sadly missed by Canada. I commit to working with his successor and look forward to building an equally warm working relationship.

Our Prime Minister, Paul Martin, has extended an invitation to President Bush to visit Canada, and I understand plans are in the works for a visit soon. Prime Minister Martin has said loud and clear that Canada looks forward to working with President Bush and his administration in areas of mutual North American interest.

My colleagues across the government and at Canada’s posts and missions in the U.S. have solid ties in Washington, where they actively advocate in areas of mutual interest, or conversely, in areas of mutual concern.

On top of what we already do, I believe we need more people-to-people, politician-to-politician venues to advocate Canadian trade and economic interests in the U.S.

But I also believe that politicians of all political stripes have a role to play in wisely managing this crucial relationship. That is why I intend to build on the efforts of the Canada-U.S. Parliamentary Dialogue Group to lead advocacy days to the United States. This means that politicians of all political stripes will be invited to join the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister on Canada-U.S. Affairs, Marlene Jennings, and me, in meeting with U.S. political leaders. This includes senators, members of congress, governors and other key decision makers. I plan to initiate the first advocacy day before next spring.

I extend a special invitation to my trade critics in Canada’s opposition parties, who recognize the importance of trade to Canada, to join in this outreach to our U.S. colleagues. All five economic regions of Canada will be represented—the West, Ontario, Quebec, the East and the North—because not all regions face the same issues.

You’ve already seen examples of these personal, political and commercial relationships at work when your own Governor led a successful Team Florida trade delegation to Canada last July and met with our Prime Minister, the Premier of Quebec and the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

A good example of our cooperation involved a meeting between the Scripps Research Institute and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. These two organizations are now working together to establish research collaboration.

Another outcome of Governor Bush’s visit was a new strategic alliance between the University of Miami and Montreal’s McGill University in the fields of engineering and information technology. The two faculties are now developing joint proposals to international funding agencies in an effort to improve research initiatives and increase the economic impact in their respective communities.

The Canada-U.S. relationship is important, but so too is the Canada-Florida one. A new Canada-Florida study, which I have the pleasure of releasing today, tells a very impressive story of the connection between two partners.

Results of the study demonstrate that Canada’s contribution to Florida’s economy is much greater than most people imagine. Canadian companies employed 40,000 people in Florida in 2002. We are Florida’s number-one source of FDI, at almost $6.5 billion—about 16 percent of your total direct investment, and your number-one source of international tourism.

In short, this study shows that Canada is Florida’s number-one economic partner and one of Florida’s best customers.

You might say that Florida is no different from the 36 other states in this country that count Canada as their top export market. But I have to tell you that we Canadians have a special place in our hearts for Florida.

•         You are there at breakfast every day. Last year, Canada imported a total of $176 million in orange juice—86.6 percent of it fresh from your Sunshine State.

•         In 2004 alone, nearly two million Canadians will have visited Florida.

•         Snowbirds—that lucky group of retired or semi-retired Canadians who come south every winter—are a flourishing part of Florida society. Even some newspapers publish in French, and three Canadian financial institutions, including a major credit union, the Fédération des caisses Desjardins, have set up shop here. There are 70,000 active members of the Canadian Snowbirds Association, three quarters of whom choose Florida as their favourite winter spot.

•         And of course, Canadians think of Florida when they consider who “borrowed” the Stanley Cup from us last year. Last year, Tampa Bay was the best team. I’m here to tell you that next season, we’re taking it back. If that season ever starts, of course.

In terms of trade and commerce, there are examples all around us of partnerships between Canadian and Florida-based companies of all sizes. I’d like to mention just a couple to illustrate the strong ties—economic and otherwise—of our trade and business connections.

•         Allied Research International of Mississauga, Ontario, is opening a facility in Miami Gardens in March 2005 to conduct ground-breaking medical research on anti-allergic drugs and human exposure to common environmental chemicals and irritants, among other things. While Florida will benefit from the presence of yet another high-tech facility and the high-quality jobs that go with it, we all stand to benefit from this company’s increased research capacity.

•         Hydro-Mobile Inc. of L’Assomption, Quebec, proved that its hydraulic platform is indeed a better alternative to conventional scaffolding—even withstanding Hurricane Frances. When Frances hit, that platform was the only construction equipment still functioning in South Palm County. And because the platform is gas-powered and doesn’t need electricity to operate, the construction crew was able to get back to work almost immediately.

My point here is that trade and investment are about more than numbers. They point to a better quality of life for all of us. We sometimes forget how much trade affects each of us individually in our daily lives.

There are many more opportunities for Canada-Florida cooperation. As I said before, Canada has lumber to sell. Construction is booming here—not just due to the recent hurricanes, but also thanks to a major rebound in the tourism sector.

In agri-food, some 60 companies will present their products at the America Food and Beverage Show here in Miami, in December.

In January, we expect up to 75 Canadian exhibitors to participate in the International Builders Show in Orlando.

There are also opportunities in transportation infrastructure and information technologies, and in developing more science and technology partnerships with your various institutions.

Canada also sees Florida as the gateway to the markets of Latin America and the Caribbean and to the global value chains that are so much a part of trade and commerce today.

Our new Consulate General will play an important role in working with you to develop these opportunities, and new ones. We now have a full slate of trade and investment resources right here on your doorstep. We’re here to help make the connection between Canadian and Florida-based companies. I am sure that all of you will continue to work with our Consul General, Tony Knill, and the rest of our staff over the coming months and years.

I look forward to spending more time in Florida on my next visit. And maybe even some day as a snowbird, if I’m lucky.

Thank you.