PM participates in question and answer session with the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce

News Release

Vancouver, British Columbia - 12 March 2014

Introduction

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today participated in a question and answer (Q&A) session with the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce. The session was facilitated by John Winter, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce, and John Kim, President and CEO of the Canada Korea Business Association.

During the Q&A session, the Prime Minister discussed Canada’s ambitious trade agenda, including the recently announced Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) and the Canada-European Union Trade Agreement. He also highlighted the benefits of Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway, the transportation network that is facilitating global supply chains between North America and Asia.

The Free Trade Agreement, Canada’s first with an Asian market, will create thousands of new jobs in Canada and provide Canadian businesses and workers with a gateway to Asia, enhancing their global competitiveness.

In British Columbia, workers and businesses in key economic sectors – including those in forestry and agricultural industries, professional services and investment – stand to benefit significantly from preferred access to the Korean market.

Quick Facts

The Republic of Korea is already British Columbia’s fourth-largest trading partner. In fact, 50 per cent of all Canadian exports to Korea are from British Columbia. B.C.’s exports to Korea from 2010 to 2012 were worth an annual average of $2.17 billion.
The CKFTA will provide Canadian businesses and workers with unprecedented access to Korea, which has an annual GDP of $1.1 trillion and a population of 50 million people.
The Agreement is projected to increase exports by 32 per cent and boost the Canadian economy by $1.7 billion annually.
In less than seven years, Canada has concluded free trade agreements with nine countries and is negotiating with 30 more. A notable achievement in this effort was the historic agreement in principle with the 28-nation European Union, announced in October 2013. With 500 million people and an annual economic activity of almost $17 trillion, the European Union is the world’s largest economy.
Once the CKFTA and the Canada-EU Trade Agreement are in force, Canada will have free trade access to nearly a quarter of the countries in the world, representing more than half of the world’s gross domestic product.

Quote

“Businesses and consumers in British Columbia and across the country stand to benefit significantly from the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement. It gives Canadian businesses access to a booming G-20 economy, and opens access in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific market. Through this Agreement, Canadian consumers will also benefit from a greater variety of goods at lower prices.”
– Prime Minister Stephen Harper

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PM participates in question and answer session with the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce

News Release

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