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Minister of State Valcourt Witnesses Signing of Sister Port Agreement

September 7, 2012 - The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie), participated in a ceremony for the signing of a sister port agreement between the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, and the Port of Caucedo, Dominican Republic.

“We welcome this agreement between the two ports, both centres of excellence in marine activities,” said Minister Valcourt. “We look forward to further expanding friendly relations and cooperation between the two ports to strengthen trade and business opportunities between Canada and the Dominican Republic.”

Modern ports and telecommunications infrastructures make the Dominican Republic a location of choice for Canadian companies to use as a base for expanding operations, or servicing existing markets, in other countries in the Caribbean and Central America, including Haiti.

In 2011, Canadian merchandise exports to the Dominican Republic totalled $148.8 million. The main Canadian exports were machinery and equipment, fertilizers, smoked herring, paper and iron structures. Imports from the Dominican Republic totalled $148.5 million. The main imports were medical supplies, electrical and electronic equipment, apparel, vegetables and cocoa.

Minister Valcourt is currently leading 20 Canadian organizations, primarily from the infrastructure and agri-food sectors, on a trade mission to the Dominican Republic and Haiti on behalf of the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.

For more information, please visit Trade Mission to Dominican Republic and Haiti.

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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

Andréa Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)
613-790-3637

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