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<title>TRADE MINISTERS MAKE PROGRESS IN MONTREAL, BUT MUCH WORK REMAINS, SAYS PETTIGREW</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>July 30, 2003 <em>(12:30 p.m. EDT)</em> No. 107</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>TRADE MINISTERS MAKE PROGRESS IN MONTREAL,</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>BUT MUCH WORK REMAINS, SAYS PETTIGREW</strong></font></p>
<p><font size="+1"></font>International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew characterized this week's informal meeting of trade ministers in Montreal as a
useful reality check on the work that remains to be done to bring the Doha Development Agenda to fruition.</p>
<p>"There is still much work to do and not much time to do it," said Minister Pettigrew. "With only one month left before
Cancun, we must now urgently focus our energies on resolving problems in key areas, if we are to hold true to the goals we
set when we launched the Doha Development Agenda."</p>
<p>Minister Pettigrew today completed three days of meetings with trade ministers from 25 countries representing a cross-section of developed and developing World Trade Organization (WTO) members.</p>
<p>Trade ministers were joined by several agriculture ministers in discussing what many consider to be the key to the Doha
Round, the agriculture negotiations. </p>
<p>"Substantial reform of the agricultural trading system is critical for producers and processors in Canada and around the
world," said Lyle Vanclief, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister. "We're starting to see some signs that key countries are
ready to move forward, but much more needs to be done to build on this momentum."</p>
<p>The Montreal meeting may have been the last opportunity before the Cancun Ministerial meeting for ministers to get
together to exchange views and outline ideas for the future work of officials in Geneva. </p>
<p>As part of the ongoing engagement with citizens on Canada's trade agenda, Minister Pettigrew met with representatives of
the business and academic communities, citizen-based organizations and public interest groups, prior to the informal
meeting. He also joined Minister Vanclief at a meeting with agriculture and agri-food stakeholders.</p>
<p>"I welcomed this additional opportunity for constructive dialogue on Canada's trade agenda with groups representing a
broad range of social concerns," noted Minister Pettigrew.</p>
<p>For further information on Canada's WTO agenda, please visit <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071206033032/http://www.wto.gc.ca/">http://www.wto.gc.ca</a></p>
<p>For information on the Montreal Informal Mini-Ministerial, please visit <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071206033032/http://www.mimm.gc.ca/">http://www.mimm.gc.ca</a></p>
<p>For information on Canada's overall trade agenda, please visit <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071206033032/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/menu-en.asp">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/menu-en.asp</a></p>
<p align="CENTER">- 30 -</p>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<p>Sébastien Théberge</p>
<p>Director of Communications</p>
<p>Office of the Minister for International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 992-7332</p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071206033032/mailto:sebastien.theberge@dfait-maeci.gc.ca">sebastien.theberge@dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
<p>Media Relations Office</p>
<p>Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p>Donald Boulanger</p>
<p>Office of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food</p>
<p>(613) 759-1761</p>
<p>Media Relations</p>
<p>Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada</p>
<p>(613) 759-7972</p>
<p>This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site:
<a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071206033032/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
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