Canadian Council of Chief Executives

Canada's Role in the World

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Trade Policy

Canada is a prime beneficiary of trade and investment liberalization, and North America will continue to dominate Canada's trade and investment flows. This degree of dependence reinforces the need for our country, as part of its strategy for managing North American integration, to offer strong and consistent support for multilateral institutions and processes and to pursue complementary regional and bilateral strategies, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Multilateralism. Canada's economy relies on the multilateral trading system to create new export opportunities in both industrialized and developing country markets, to help guarantee our rights in existing markets, including the United States, and to establish global rules in new areas. Only a multilateral rules-based system can provide the predictability and security that Canadian businesses need.
World Trade Organization (WTO). Canada should strongly support continued multilateral trade and investment liberalization through the WTO. In particular, it should support an ambitious agenda and steady progress toward the completion of the WTO's Doha Development Agenda. The CCCE's 12-point agenda for the Doha Round includes recommendations for the worldwide elimination of tariffs on industrial products, liberalization of trade in agriculture and services, reduction of non-tariff barriers and improvement of dispute settlement procedures. In September 2005, the CCCE joined five other leading business organizations from the United States, Mexico, Europe, Japan and Australia in calling on WTO member governments to make the political commitment necessary to bring the Doha Round to a successful conclusion in 2006.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been an unqualified success for Canada, the United States and Mexico, increasing investment, employment and incomes in all three countries. The CCCE's proposals for managing further integration within the continent are addressed by the North American Security and Prosperity Initiative, which the Council launched in January 2003. The CCCE, The Business Roundtable in the United States and the Consejo Mexicano de Hombres de Negocios continue to work together to support NAFTA and its evolution. In particular, they have supported its Chapter 11 investment provisions.
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The success of NAFTA has prompted serious discussion about the idea of creating a much broader free trade zone encompassing the entire hemisphere. The CCCE supports efforts to advance this concept, both for its direct benefits to countries throughout the Americas and as another means of advancing trade liberalization globally. The CCCE supports the goal of making a hemispheric agreement as comprehensive as possible.
Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC). APEC continues to promote economic growth through accelerated trade and investment liberalization and to support the creation of institutional frameworks that support the rule of law, democracy and transparency throughout the Asia Pacific region. The CCCE organized and hosted the APEC CEO Summit in Vancouver in 1997, and continues to work closely with business organizations in other APEC economies. The CCCE supports APEC's primary objective of achieving free trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region by 2010 for developed economies and by 2020 for developing economies.
Bilateral trade relationships. The CCCE maintains strong relationships with governments and business organizations in many of Canada's key trading partners worldwide and participates actively in efforts to strengthen these relationships. In particular:
- Japan. The CCCE has worked closely with its Japanese counterpart, Nippon Keidanren, in examining options for a trade and investment strategy that could set our bilateral relationship on a dynamic new course. These efforts bore fruit in November 2005 with the signing by Prime Minister Paul Martin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Canada-Japan Economic Framework, a joint initiative to reinforce existing economic ties and address new and emerging commercial challenges and opportunities. The Framework sets the stage for future cooperation in 15 priority areas including food safety, investment, customs and social security. The CCCE and Nippon Keidanren have strongly urged their respective governments to consider the possibility of launching negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement or Economic Partnership Agreement.
- European Union. The CCCE has worked closely with business organizations in the European Union and in individual member countries to expand Transatlantic dialogue. It has supported ideas for enhancing Canada-European Union trade and investment through improvements in shared commercial standards, regulations, trade in services, investment rules, intellectual property protection and government procurement.
- China. China’s accession to the WTO and its emergence as a world economic power is creating tremendous new trade and investment opportunities for Canada. Over the years, the CCCE has continued to seek opportunities to build an ever-broader foundation of mutual trust and fruitful bilateral cooperation with China. In November 2005, following the signing of the Canada-China Strategic Partnership by Prime Minister Paul Martin and President Hu Jintao of China, the Council led a five-day mission of Canadian chief executives to Beijing and Shanghai. The mission marked the first purely private sector visit to China by a broadly based group of chief executives from among Canada’s largest enterprises.
- India. India is demonstrating considerable potential as its economy begins to make its mark in services and high technology as well as traditional industries. The CCCE has a long history of close cooperation with the Confederation of Indian Industry and considers India a strategic priority. In March of 2007, the CCCE led a mission of Canadian CEOs to Delhi and Mumbai to promote stronger trade and investment ties between Canada and India. A highlight of the visit was the first Canada-India CEO Roundtable, which produced a joint statement calling on both countries to work toward a more robust bilateral commercial relationship.


Click for further information:	Home >> Canada's Role in the World >> Trade Policy Trade Policy Canada is a prime beneficiary of trade and investment liberalization, and North America will continue to dominate Canada's trade and investment flows. This degree of dependence reinforces the need for our country, as part of its strategy for managing North American integration, to offer strong and consistent support for multilateral institutions and processes and to pursue complementary regional and bilateral strategies, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Multilateralism. Canada's economy relies on the multilateral trading system to create new export opportunities in both industrialized and developing country markets, to help guarantee our rights in existing markets, including the United States, and to establish global rules in new areas. Only a multilateral rules-based system can provide the predictability and security that Canadian businesses need. World Trade Organization (WTO). Canada should strongly support continued multilateral trade and investment liberalization through the WTO. In particular, it should support an ambitious agenda and steady progress toward the completion of the WTO's Doha Development Agenda. The CCCE's 12-point agenda for the Doha Round includes recommendations for the worldwide elimination of tariffs on industrial products, liberalization of trade in agriculture and services, reduction of non-tariff barriers and improvement of dispute settlement procedures. In September 2005, the CCCE joined five other leading business organizations from the United States, Mexico, Europe, Japan and Australia in calling on WTO member governments to make the political commitment necessary to bring the Doha Round to a successful conclusion in 2006. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been an unqualified success for Canada, the United States and Mexico, increasing investment, employment and incomes in all three countries. The CCCE's proposals for managing further integration within the continent are addressed by the North American Security and Prosperity Initiative, which the Council launched in January 2003. The CCCE, The Business Roundtable in the United States and the Consejo Mexicano de Hombres de Negocios continue to work together to support NAFTA and its evolution. In particular, they have supported its Chapter 11 investment provisions. Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The success of NAFTA has prompted serious discussion about the idea of creating a much broader free trade zone encompassing the entire hemisphere. The CCCE supports efforts to advance this concept, both for its direct benefits to countries throughout the Americas and as another means of advancing trade liberalization globally. The CCCE supports the goal of making a hemispheric agreement as comprehensive as possible. Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC). APEC continues to promote economic growth through accelerated trade and investment liberalization and to support the creation of institutional frameworks that support the rule of law, democracy and transparency throughout the Asia Pacific region. The CCCE organized and hosted the APEC CEO Summit in Vancouver in 1997, and continues to work closely with business organizations in other APEC economies. The CCCE supports APEC's primary objective of achieving free trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region by 2010 for developed economies and by 2020 for developing economies. Bilateral trade relationships. The CCCE maintains strong relationships with governments and business organizations in many of Canada's key trading partners worldwide and participates actively in efforts to strengthen these relationships. In particular: Japan. The CCCE has worked closely with its Japanese counterpart, Nippon Keidanren, in examining options for a trade and investment strategy that could set our bilateral relationship on a dynamic new course. These efforts bore fruit in November 2005 with the signing by Prime Minister Paul Martin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Canada-Japan Economic Framework, a joint initiative to reinforce existing economic ties and address new and emerging commercial challenges and opportunities. The Framework sets the stage for future cooperation in 15 priority areas including food safety, investment, customs and social security. The CCCE and Nippon Keidanren have strongly urged their respective governments to consider the possibility of launching negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement or Economic Partnership Agreement. European Union. The CCCE has worked closely with business organizations in the European Union and in individual member countries to expand Transatlantic dialogue. It has supported ideas for enhancing Canada-European Union trade and investment through improvements in shared commercial standards, regulations, trade in services, investment rules, intellectual property protection and government procurement. China. China’s accession to the WTO and its emergence as a world economic power is creating tremendous new trade and investment opportunities for Canada. Over the years, the CCCE has continued to seek opportunities to build an ever-broader foundation of mutual trust and fruitful bilateral cooperation with China. In November 2005, following the signing of the Canada-China Strategic Partnership by Prime Minister Paul Martin and President Hu Jintao of China, the Council led a five-day mission of Canadian chief executives to Beijing and Shanghai. The mission marked the first purely private sector visit to China by a broadly based group of chief executives from among Canada’s largest enterprises. India. India is demonstrating considerable potential as its economy begins to make its mark in services and high technology as well as traditional industries. The CCCE has a long history of close cooperation with the Confederation of Indian Industry and considers India a strategic priority. In March of 2007, the CCCE led a mission of Canadian CEOs to Delhi and Mumbai to promote stronger trade and investment ties between Canada and India. A highlight of the visit was the first Canada-India CEO Roundtable, which produced a joint statement calling on both countries to work toward a more robust bilateral commercial relationship.
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