By Caribbean News Global
PERU / CANADA – Our government is making Canada the destination of choice to invest and do business. We are creating well-paying jobs, strengthening the middle class, and putting Canadian workers and businesses at the forefront of every opportunity, prime minister, Justin Trudeau, announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru.
“Encompassing 21 economies, more than 60 percent of global GDP, and 84 percent of Canada’s trade, the APEC region is growing rapidly and is home to four of Canada’s top five trading partners. This makes the region an extraordinary opportunity for creating jobs in Canada,” said prime minister Trudeau.
At the leaders’ meeting, the prime minister took action to remove barriers to trade and expand Canada’s network of trade partnerships in the Indo-Pacific:
“The substantive conclusion of negotiations for a Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is a significant milestone in the Canada-Indonesia relationship that will create well-paying jobs, attract investment into Canada, and open new markets for Canadian businesses, entrepreneurs, and farmers. It will also advance progress on other shared priorities, such as bringing more women into the workforce and increasing co-operation on critical minerals,” adding. “As Southeast Asia’s largest economy and with a population of over 280 million – the fourth largest in the world – Indonesia is a priority market for Canadian investment and collaboration.”
The prime minister and the president of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, looked forward to the agreement coming into force as soon as possible and issued a joint statement committing to sign the agreement in the next year.
Canada’s vision to strengthen nuclear partnerships in the Indo-Pacific through the Canadian Trade Gateway, as part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), the Gateway will leverage Canadian expertise to address the growing demand for nuclear energy and science across economies, prime minister Trudeau announced:
“The nuclear sector has a growing role in the health, food, and agriculture industries – and are a key pillar in building energy security, developing and adopting artificial intelligence technologies, and supporting the clean energy transition. The Gateway will bring together Canadian and Indo-Pacific expertise in the nuclear industry and increase opportunities for the Canadian nuclear industry to supply products and services – growing our footprint in the region and creating good, well-paying jobs. It will also highlight Canada’s profile as a responsible leader in the nuclear space and a reliable commercial and investment partner.”
Prime minister Trudeau noted that while Canada will benefit tremendously from the progress made at APEC, “we know that economic growth is not a zero-sum game,” That is why the prime minister also announced “over $35 million in investments to ensure stability and certainty for Canada’s partners.”
These investments include:
- $2 million to grow trade and investment across the APEC region, with supports to Micro, Small, and Medium-sized businesses as well as increased opportunities for women’s participation in the economy.
- $1.8 million to create opportunities for Venezuelan refugees and migrant professionals in Peru and improve working conditions and health and safety practices for farm workers.
- $9.2 million to help communities in the Peruvian Andes better prepare for climate disasters and extreme weather events.
- $3.9 million for the BlackBerry Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, to strengthen cybersecurity partnerships and expertise in the Indo-Pacific through skills training opportunities, including for women.
- Nearly $18 million to advance gender equality and the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls in Peru.
- $200,000 to improve access to justice for Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian communities in Peru, including those living in remote areas and gender-based violence survivors.
During APEC, the prime minister endorsed a Leaders’ Declaration along with other APEC member economies, outlining APEC’s future agenda, including in economic growth, the clean energy transition, and food security. The prime minister underlined the importance of making progress on these priorities and focusing this work on making life better for our peoples throughout South Korea’s APEC chair and Canada’s G7 Presidency in 2025.
During his visit, prime minister Trudeau also raised current global and regional conflicts, in particular the situation in Ukraine, Haiti, and the Middle East and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to working with allies and international partners to promote security and stability, preserve peace, and strengthen democracy for people around the world.
“Team Canada is making sure Canadians get the jobs, opportunities, and investment they need to succeed. At this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, prime minister Trudeau expanded Canada’s network of trade partnerships, announced new action to bring us closer with our allies, and renewed our commitment to delivering fairness for every generation.”
“Canada is a Pacific country, and the Asia-Pacific region represents an extraordinary economic opportunity for our businesses, workers, and farmers. At this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, we expanded our trade partnerships so more countries can confidently invest in Canada and Canadian companies can do more business in the Indo-Pacific. This will mean more well-paying jobs for Canadians, more options for our consumers, and a stronger economy for the country – and for you,” said Trudeau, prime minister of Canada.
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