Address by Minister Champagne at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Mexico City

March 16, 2017 – Mexico City, Mexico

Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with the Government of Canada’s communications policy.

Thank you for that very warm introduction. 

It’s a pleasure to be here with our friends and partners in Mexico.

I want to extend my appreciation to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce as well as the Mexican Council for Foreign Trade and the Embassy of Canada for their great work in organizing this event, as well as the great work they do through the year in helping to strengthen our trade and investment ties.

I also want to thank all of you for coming today.

I spent many years in business before entering politics. So I really enjoy meeting and speaking with people who drive the engines of economic growth in our respective countries.

As business people, we know that more trade and more investment mean more economic prosperity and more jobs in both our countries.

The Government of Canada is committed to expanding trade and investment in ways that ensure that all segments of society, both in Canada and abroad, can take advantage of the economic opportunities flowing from trade and investment –with a particular focus on women, indigenous peoples, youth, and small- and medium-sized businesses.

The progressive trade agenda that Canada is pursuing with our partners also means ensuring that trade agreements include strong provisions in important areas such as labour and human rights, environmental protection and gender equality, and reinforce the continued right of governments to regulate in the public interest.

It is incumbent on everyone, particularly those of us in this room, to make trade real for people, to put economic growth that benefits everyone at the heart of our trading agenda.

We know that our prosperity lies not in isolation but in openness and the pursuit of free trade between nations and there is perhaps no greater opportunity, perhaps even no greater untapped opportunity, than between Mexico and Canada.

So today I would like to speak with you about our growing commercial and bilateral ties here in Mexico. I also want to briefly talk about where I see things going in the future.

Many years ago, New York Times journalist Anthony DePalma quoted a Mexican Foreign Minister’s observation with regard to our commercial relations that: “Mexico and Canada cannot possibly make a sandwich together because there is too much meat in-between.”

That may have been true in the years before the North American Free Trade Agreement but since achieving that landmark agreement, we have learned just how we much we can make together, Mexico and Canada.

In fact, we’re part of the same North American production platform, with fully integrated economies and supply chains stitched together across the continent.

Today, we are equal partners in the biggest economic region in the world, with a combined trading relationship of more than C$1.4 trillion, and combined economic output accounting for more than one-quarter of the world’s GDP.

The North American economy can out-compete any region in the world. Canada is committed to ensuring that this remains the case, and we are committed to ensuring that NAFTA remains the great trilateral agreement that it has become over the last 23 years.

Where do we go from here? I believe that Canada and Mexico have a solid foundation to build upon, both economically and through our very strong people-to-people ties.

Spanning more than 70 years, Canada and Mexico share a vibrant, multi-faceted relationship that is characterized by deep people-to-people ties, rich cultural connections and growing trade and investment.

Our people-to-people connections are undeniable, with 2.16 million Canadians travelling to Mexico in 2015.

 Northbound, Canada has seen an increase in visitors from Mexico, with more than 280,000 Mexicans visiting Canada during 2016, and today there are more than 96,000 Mexicans currently living in Canada.

Last year, we witnessed a very successful State visit of President Peña Nieto to Canada - the first State Visit of a Mexican President to Canada in 15 years. Through this visit, Canada and Mexico renewed our close ties.

Our leaders agreed that, while collaboration between our countries is already extensive, now is the time to do more – to bring our students together, to deepen our business relationships, and to create sustainable economic growth for all of our people.

During that visit, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced our government’s intention to lift the visa requirement for Mexican visitors and we made good on that promise in December.

Similarly, President Peña Nieto delivered on his commitment to open the Mexican market to Canadian beef.

Our leaders witnessed a historic signing of a memorandum of understanding on Indigenous cooperation that will allow our countries to share experiences, knowledge, and best practices.

They made a commitment to work in close cooperation to grow our cultural connections and to find solutions to the shared challenges of climate change.

Canada – and indeed all Canadians – are very proud of our close relationship with Mexico.  And there are reasons to be optimistic:

In increasing numbers, Canadian companies are doing business here, which currently accounts for more than 100,000 direct jobs annually and a similar number of indirect jobs here in Mexico.

We see it in the $40.8 billion in bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Mexico in 2016, making Mexico Canada’s third largest trading partner.

We see it in many more ways – some you may even find surprising…  I understand Mexico´s Men’s national Hockey Team finished in second place in the International Ice Hockey Federation Pan American Ice Hockey Tournament for the last three years in a row.  Who knew we shared a love for ice hockey too!

Congratulations – this makes you all honorary Canadians! Or Canadiens!

Of course, Canada and Mexico also share a common focus on trade. Our economies are trade-based. Our wealth, our standard of living and our economic prosperity all rise and fall according to our strength in trade.

Today, I believe that there are a growing number of synergies between our countries and our economies. Both our economies have changed since the early days of NAFTA.

Mexico has implemented a host of economic reforms and turned its focus overseas, with 12 free trade agreements now in place.

Canada now has 11 free trade agreements in force, making Canada and Mexico attractive markets and partners for each other.

A great many Canadian companies and subsidiaries are already taking advantage of these synergies, and are helping to contribute to strong economic growth here.

For example, in the automotive industry, more than 60 Canadian companies have already expanded operations to Mexico.

We not only buy and sell things to and from each other, we make things together too.  

And similarly, Canadian investment in the aerospace sector has played a crucial role in developing an integrated North American supply chain. 

Canadian companies are also supporting Mexico’s energy reform. A company like TransCanada, with presence in Mexico since the mid-1990s, employs some 2,000 workers across Mexico.

And of course, Scotiabank Financial Group now counts on about 13,000 workers across its operations to generate growth and profits.  In all of these examples, we are talking about win-win situations.

There are also Mexican businesses that are finding out first-hand some of the best that Canada has to offer. These include Grupo Bimbo, Nemac, Grupo Simec and Grupo Marcatel, to name just a few. 

I don’t need to remind the people in this room of the many strengths Canada has as a trade and investment partner – but if anyone needs some reminding, our excellent Trade Commissioners are here, as they always are, and are ready to help. 

Friends, the Canada-Mexico relationship is based on a deepening strategic partnership that holds renewed potential for both countries.

Our government’s priority is to create jobs, increase prosperity and preserve and strengthen the financial security of Canadians.

And we think Mexico is a big part of this picture. 

We also think Canada is a huge contributor to Mexico’s economic success.

Deepening trade with key countries like Mexico is vital to our economic recovery and future prosperity.

With a shared production platform as our springboard, Canada and Mexico are powerhouse producers for both the North American and global markets.

Thank you again for the kind invitation to join you today.

Thank you, Merci et Muchas Gracias.