Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade to travel to Southeast Asia to promote Canadian wood exports

From: Global Affairs Canada

News Release

April 21, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, today announced that she will travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam from April 22 to 28, 2017, as part of efforts to grow Canadian wood exports to Southeast Asia.

The visit will also provide an opportunity to advance Canada’s bilateral relations with these three important member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

This trip coincides with the visit of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade, to China and is part of the Government of Canada’s broader efforts to promote growth and opportunities for Canadian companies and workers around the world, particularly in the wood and forest industries.

While in Ho Chi Minh City, Parliamentary Secretary Goldsmith-Jones will meet with importers and buyers of wood products to showcase the high quality of Canadian lumber and forest products.

In Singapore, Ms. Goldsmith-Jones will attend the Sea Asia conference, the premier maritime and offshore conference and exhibition in Asia, and the unveiling of the Menon Report, which will, for the first time, feature Vancouver, British Columbia. She will also meet with business representatives in Singapore to showcase trade and investment opportunities in Canada and to explore markets for Canadian exporters in the forest industry.

Parliamentary Secretary Goldsmith-Jones will finish her trip in Bandar Seri Begawan, where she will meet with government and business leaders, including woman entrepreneurs, to discuss ways to expand trade relations and imports of forest products. She will also have an opportunity to visit some successful Bruneian-Canadian joint ventures, including the CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre.

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening commercial ties with Southeast Asia to open new opportunities for Canada and stimulate economic growth, providing jobs and long-term prosperity for Canadians.

Quotes

“Canada’s trade relations with Southeast Asia are growing significantly, and there remains enormous potential in the Southeast Asian market—both present and future. By increasing and diversifying our Canadian exports to the region, including in the forest sector, we will support new opportunities for Canadian businesses, which in turn will create more good-paying jobs for Canadians.”

- Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade

Quick Facts

  • Forest product exports contribute substantially to the Canadian economy. By value, Canada is the world’s fourth-largest forest product exporter, and the world’s leading exporter of softwood lumber and newsprint.

  • Two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Vietnam was valued at close to $5.5 billion in 2016. As a result, Vietnam is Canada’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and its 15th-largest merchandise trading partner in the world. In addition, Vietnam is the top source country within ASEAN for international students to Canada, with close to 5,000 students on Canadian campuses in 2015.

  • Singapore is an important regional trade partner for Canada and is Canada’s second-largest merchandise export market in ASEAN. Many Canadian companies choose Singapore as their regional hub to pursue opportunities in the ASEAN market, and bilateral links are expanding across a range of areas related to science, technology and innovation.

  • Canada’s merchandise exports to Brunei in 2016 amounted to $9.8 million, most notably in the aerospace sector.

  • ASEAN has a combined population of over 638 million people. Together, ASEAN member states make up the seventh-largest economy in the world and the third-largest Asian economy, after China and India.

Associated Links

Contacts

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaTrade
Like us on Facebook: Canada’s international trade - Global Affairs Canada

Page details

Date modified: