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PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY October 1 - 15 , 2017
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11955 88th Avenue , Delta , BC • 604 501 0963 • www . lamezagrill . com • lamezagrill A Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement benefits all
Canada is a trading nation to its core and our agreements with the United States , Mexico and the European Union are testimony to our desire — indeed , our need — to reach far beyond our borders to seek trading partnerships .
Many Canadians are familiar with the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) and Canada ’ s Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement ( CETA ) with the European Union , but flying below the national radar is the huge potential of a free trade agreement with the ten-member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ).
On an official visit to the Philippines last month , I led Canada ’ s delegation to the 38th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly ( AIPA ). Delegates discussed a wide range of issues over the course of the assembly — including disaster management , combating terrorism and human trafficking , just to name a few . When holding a meeting with these ten ASEAN nations , the conversation turned to asking the question , ‘ How can free trade between Canada and this fast-growing region be strengthened ?’
The ASEAN region — Brunei , Myanmar , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam — boasts a population of more than 600 million people and a nominal GDP of 2.31 trillion . This region is fast becoming a hotspot for global growth and investment , as many countries continue to shift their gaze east .
Canada already has a significant trading position among these nations and ASEAN members are collectively our sixth largest trading partner , to the tune of $ 21.6 billion as of last year .
The economies of ASEAN stand out as being increasingly important to Canada , across a range of sectors , including oil and gas , telecommunications , financial services and consumer goods .
So the potential for a free trade deal with ASEAN
By Senator Tobias Enverga
nations — and the opportunity it would offer Canada to build on that already solid relationship — needs to be our next free trade frontier .
And while the notion of a free trade agreement between Canada and ASEAN is not a new one — the idea has been tentatively discussed before — its attractiveness continues to grow . Beyond this being in our interest , over the course of the assembly it became quite apparent during our meeting that the desire for a free trade agreement is mutual .
Beyond our dynamic trade relationship , Canada ’ s unique history and development has given our country many tools that are useful to the region . Regional integration , interfaith dialogue , transnational policing and counterterrorism , as well as disaster risk reduction , are among the insights we are able to share .
Moreover , Canada takes great pride in its diversity and multicultural fabric , as well as in the benefits it derives from welcoming communities from around the world .
This has helped Canada develop remarkable peopleto-people ties with Southeast Asia . Since the 1970s , more than one million people from Southeast Asia have made their home in Canada
As this year marks the 40th anniversary of Canada becoming a dialogue partner of ASEAN , I can only look forward to the fifth decade of partnership between Canada and ASEAN with enthusiasm .
The tightening of economic , social , and political relations with the ASEAN region truly holds great promise for a brighter future for Canada . ****** Tobias C . Enverga is a senator representing Ontario . He is a member of the Senate Committee on Banking , Trade and Commerce , the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples , as well as the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans .
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