April 6, 2005
NEW DELHI, India

2005/15

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NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY

THE HONOURABLE JIM PETERSON,

MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE,

AT THE PLENARY SESSION

OF THE CANADA TRADE MISSION TO INDIA

It is a great pleasure to be here in India with you. I think Saroj Poddar, Senior Vice President at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, has said most of what I could say about the incredible business opportunities that exist here in India. We have seen an economy that has grown at an average of six percent per year since liberalization began in 1991, and that is now going at over eight percent. We have seen a country that has been in surplus for the past four years and that is paying down its foreign exchange debt faster than needed and faster than scheduled.

This is an incredible success story. And I am here to say, along with more than 70 Canadian business leaders, that we in Canada want to share in your success. We are here in five main areas: infrastructure, energy, financial services, agri-food and ICT [information and communications technology]. I look forward to those of you from India meeting with our Canadian business leaders and getting to know one another in forming strategic relationships as we enter this 21st century.

I would like to make an announcement that will be further elaborated later today. This afternoon, a Joint Declaration in Science and Technology Cooperation will be signed between Canada and India. Canada’s efforts in this project will be headed by Arthur Carty, and served extensively by Canada’s National Research Council [NRC]. India will be represented by its National Science Advisor and also by its Science Council. Dr. Carty has been the head of Canada’s NRC and now serves as the National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada. This indicates the importance that we place not only on science and technology [S&T], but also on our relationship with India.

India has made great strides in science and technology. Its eight Indian institutes of technology rival the best in the world, including MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology]. Both of our governments have committed new funds to S&T. India pledged to double its commitment by the year 2010. Canada now has the highest level of university research on a per-capita basis in the G7. Canada’s NRC and the Indian Council of Science and Industrial Research will play leading roles as together we find new ways to cooperate in S&T.

As we aim to establish a formal agreement, we will begin collaborative work involving exchanges of scientists, the organization of seminars, symposiums, conferences, and scientific and technical exhibitions, and we will institute joint S&T projects. Through collaboration in S&T, we will be able to eliminate overlap and duplication and generate synergies in research. This can take both of us to new heights. And by having business partners, we can ensure that our joint work has practical applications and that our new products and services will be brought to market and be commercialized in a timely manner.

I also want to announce with great pleasure that in order to further enhance

S&T collaboration between India and Canada, Canada is pleased to accept the invitation by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, to be India’s country partner for your 11th technological summit, to take place here in New Delhi next September. Dr. Carty and I are working toward having our S&T agreement in place by that time.

The third announcement I wish to make is that discussions have led to an agreement between the [Indian Commerce and Industry] Minister [Kamal Nath] and myself that we should seek to establish the Indo-Canadian CEO round table. Now this round table is similar to those enjoyed by Canada with Mexico and the United States. It will bring together business and political leaders from both of our countries to find ways to promote stronger economic performance and competitiveness in the face of global competition. This round table will be chaired by Thomas D’Aquino, [President and Chief Executive, Canadian Council of Chief Executives,] and his Indian counterpart, Mr.Tarun Das. We look forward to working with them.

Lastly, let me talk about something that is very near and dear to me. In January 2004, shortly after I was appointed Minister of International Trade, I received a phone call from Haroon Siddiqui, one of Canada’s foremost journalists, a member of the Order of Canada and a real authority on Asia and India. He advised me to meet the great political leader Kamal Nath, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, who represents Chindwara, an electoral district of 1.3 million electors in Central India’s state of Madhya Pradesh. Minister Nath has great experience in the environment, forestry and textile industries. He is also General Secretary of the Indian National Congress, and a member of the Congress Working Committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the Congress party that leads the United Progressive Alliance government.

Last night, we discussed the WTO and its great importance in the Doha Development Round to both India and Canada. We have great agreement in common cause that we have to eliminate the obscene level of agricultural subsidies that beset our producers in the EU and in the United States. We want an ambitious round in terms of opening up the world to services that we are both capable of providing. We agree that we both have sensitivities, particularly in the agricultural area, when the average size of a farm in India is less than two hectares. Of course, that particular reality has to be dealt with. Now Mr. Nath enjoys a position of great responsibility, first as a member of the Group of 5 in the WTO but also as a leader in the G20. It is absolutely critical that we have an ambitious resolve to draw upon, in order not only to level the playing field for our producers but also to open up the world of commerce to the developing and to the least developed countries of this world.

So it is a great pleasure, Minister Nath, to be able to work with you on this noble cause as well as to pursue the incredible bilateral potential that we have for promoting trade and investment between our two countries. Let me conclude by saying to our Indian friends that our government’s commitment to India is not a passing fad. In a speech from the throne over a year ago, India was made a priority country. This was followed up by the Prime Minister’s visit earlier this year, and has been followed up by our trade mission here today, by our joint declaration today that will make a statement on technology, and by the fact that Canada is putting up permanent representation here in New Delhi, as announced yesterday by Export Development Canada. The technology summit next September that will take place here is further evidence of our strength together.

To the CEO round table and Minister Nath, my wife and I look forward to your visit to Canada, which will hopefully take place next fall. I can assure you that you will be welcomed by me, by my government, by the one million Canadians who are of Indian descent and by all Canadians. And I look forward to working with you in the future so that we can realize our full potential through increased commerce, investment and trade and build on the great friendship between our two magnificent countries.

Thank you.