International Trade Minister Fast Highlights Canada’s Leadership in the Americas During Visit to Peru

Deeper trade and investment creates jobs, prosperity and positive change, say ministers

April 11, 2012 - The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today visited Lima, where he highlighted the benefits of a deepened Canada-Peru trade and investment partnership as well as the Harper government’s extensive prosperity agenda throughout the hemisphere.

“Deeper trade and investment benefits hard-working Canadians and Peruvians alike by providing new sources of jobs and growth, lower prices for goods and services for families and higher wages for workers,” said Minister Fast. “Since our trade agreement with Peru came into force in 2009, our bilateral trade has increased by over 50 percent, making Peru Canada’s third-largest trading partner in Latin America. This is helping bring long-term prosperity to workers and businesses in both countries.”

The Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement also contains a chapter on trade-related cooperation to help foster capacity-building initiatives.

“Prosperity, security and democracy anchor our engagement with our neighbours, friends and partners in the Americas,” said the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs). “Countries in the Americas are demonstrating that there is an undeniable link between increased prosperity and improved social and political conditions.”

Minister Fast was pleased to highlight the delivery of ballistics identification technology recently purchased by Peru’s Ministry of Interior from Montréal-based Forensic Technology. The Canadian Commercial Corporation and Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service were instrumental in making the deal possible. The technology provides forensics experts and detectives with timely information about crimes, guns and suspects, and will be used by Peru’s national police in their efforts to fight and reduce crime.

Minister Fast also highlighted the delivery in April of a Twin Otter aircraft, produced by Viking Air of Sidney, British Columbia, to Peru’s Ministry of Defence. In November 2010, Viking Air, through the Canadian Commercial Corporation, signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence for the sale of 12 Series 400 Twin Otters, to be delivered between 2011 and 2014.

During his visit, Minister Fast met with Daniel Lozada, Peru’s Minister of Interior, José Luis Silva Martinot, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, and Rafael Roncagliolo, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In his meetings with Peruvian government leaders and with private-sector representatives, as part of ongoing visits to all current members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Minister Fast reiterated that Canada’s participation in the TPP negotiations would benefit workers, businesses and families in all TPP member countries.

“Canada’s strong and growing ties in the Asia-Pacific region are thanks in large part to the bilateral partnerships we’ve formed with countries like Peru,” said Minister Fast. “That is why I am pleased that in all of my meetings and discussions to date, including here in Peru, Canada’s interest in joining the TPP talks has been positively received. Canada’s inclusion in the talks at the earliest opportunity is yet another way to spread the mutual benefits of increased trade and closer economic cooperation.”

Canada’s bilateral trade with Peru reached $4.9 billion last year—an increase of 19.4 percent over the previous year.

For more information, please consult Minister Fast Visits Latin America.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-7332

Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000