(No. 310 - October 19, 2009) The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today marked Small Business Week in Canada, which runs from October 18 to 24. Minister Day took the opportunity to encourage SMEs to use the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service to help them find global markets for their products and services.
“Each year, our trade commissioners help thousands of Canadian companies—both large and small—compete internationally,” said Minister Day. “We have commissioners located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in 18 regional offices across Canada. Now, more than ever, Canadian businesses need to build their own distribution networks. Our trade commissioners are trained to point them in the right direction and save them valuable time in searching for the right tools.”
Last month, Minister Day opened a new office of the Trade Commissioner Service in Kelowna, B.C., to assist local businesses. The Kelowna office is the latest of six new offices to have opened across the country. The others are located in the city of Québec, Ottawa, the Waterloo region, Windsor and Victoria. Minister Day has also opened trade offices in key markets such as China, India and Brazil.
“Later this week, I will be hosting a meeting with my SME Advisory Board, which will give me the opportunity to hear directly from small- and medium-sized business owners about the challenges they face in the global marketplace,” said Minister Day. “The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service is part of the solution.”
The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, which has more than 115 years of experience, assists companies through four key services: preparing for international markets, assessing market potential, finding qualified contacts, and resolving problems.
For more information, please visit The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International Trade
and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-6186
Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
