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Strengthening Canada-China Relationship Through People-to-People Ties
April 17, 2013
Tianjin, China
The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), receive kites presented by students from Yinghua Bond International College, which is offering a Canadian curriculum program for students who wish to prepare for study overseas. Of the school’s 54 graduates, 53 will travel to Canada this fall to attend Canadian universities or colleges.
Attracting international students is a priority for the Government of Canada. As of December , 2012, there were 81,646 Chinese students in Canada. China is now by far Canada’s largest source of international students. Canada and China have set an objective of 100,000 students studying in each other’s country by 2017.
Canada provides a safe, welcoming and cost-effective environment for international students seeking a high-quality education. Attracting the best and brightest students is key to Canada’s long-term prosperity.
For more details about cooperation in education between Canada and China, please visit More Success for Canadian Schools in China.
Minister Fast is on a two-week visit to Asia that includes stops in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin and Tianjin before he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Indonesia.
Highlighting a Canadian Success Story: Minister Fast Visits McCain Plant in Harbin
Photo: Minister Fast (left) and Minister of State Wong (right).
April 15, 2013
Harbin, China
The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) tour the McCain Foods Ltd. processing plant in Harbin, China. In 1994, McCain started working in China to identify the best potato-growing areas and optimal potato varieties. The Harbin plant opened in 2005 and employs 250 people. McCain currently claims more than 60 percent of the Chinese market for frozen French fries.
McCain Foods Ltd., headquartered in New Brunswick, employs approximately 19,000 people on six continents. The company is a leader in the frozen food, produce and transportation businesses. A privately held Canadian company, McCain has more than 50 manufacturing facilities globally and annual net sales of more than $6 billion.
Minister Fast is on a two-week visit to Asia that includes stops in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin and Tianjin before he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Indonesia.
Minister Fast Visits ICT Expo in Hong Kong with Ministers Paradis and Wong
Photo: (left to right) Minister Paradis; Minister Wong; Minister Fast.
April 13, 2013
Hong Kong
The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, accompanied by the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture) and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), visit the Canadian Pavilion at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s International ICT Expo, Asia’s leading information and communications technology (ICT) trade show. Twenty-two Canadian companies are participating in this year’s Canadian pavilion at the Expo, along with representatives from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
The ministers held a roundtable with Canadian participants to discuss opportunities for ICT companies in Hong Kong.
The ministers also took the opportunity to congratulate the Canadian company OpenText for its recently awarded contract with Hong Kong Polytechnic University for the implementation of OpenText’s enterprise content management solution, which will help the university to better manage its increasing volumes of records and other information.
Minister Fast is on a two-week visit to Asia that includes stops in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin and Tianjin before he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Indonesia.
Minister Fast Meets with Japanese Government Officials
Left: The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, meets with Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. On April 10, the ministers announced that the next round of negotiations toward a Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement would take place from April 22 to 26, 2013, in Ottawa.
Right: The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, meets with Akira Amari, Japan’s Minister of Economic Revitalization. The ministers discussed the potential for deepening the trade and economic relationship between their countries. (left to right: Minister of State Wong, Minister Fast, Minister Amari, Senior Vice-Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura)
April 11, 2013
Tokyo, Japan
April 12, 2013
Yokohama, Japan
Japan is Canada’s fourth-largest export market, with exports worth some $10.4 billion in 2012. Canada is actively engaged in free trade negotiations with Japan as part of Canada’s ambitious pro-trade plan for jobs and growth. A Canada-Japan joint study found that an economic partnership agreement could boost Canada’s gross domestic product by $3.8 billion a year—equivalent to almost 30,000 new jobs or an increase of $325 to the average Canadian family’s annual income—and Japan’s GDP by up to $4.4 billion. The study also found that an agreement could increase Canadian exports to Japan by as much as 67 percent.
Canada’s World-Class Gaming Industry Attracts New Japanese Investment
Photo: Minister of State Wong (second from left), meets with Satoshi Oshita, Head of Contents and President, NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. (left); Shukuo Ishikawa, President, NAMCO BANDAI Holdings Inc. (third from left); and Hajime Nakatani, President, NAMCO BANDAI Studios Inc. (right).
April 10, 2013
Tokyo, Japan
April 10, 2013 – The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, announced today during a trade mission to Japan that NAMCO BANDAI Studios Inc. (NBS), the digital video games developer that created Pac-Man, will open an online social game development studio in Vancouver.
“Our government’s top priority remains jobs, growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister of State Wong. “Canada’s vibrant, diverse and creative digital media sector provides fertile ground for this new partnership. World-class companies like NAMCO BANDAI Studios Inc. set up operations in Canada because of our renowned leadership in the digital media industry, skilled workforce and world-leading investment advantages, and in doing so, they provide good, high-value jobs for talented Canadians.”
NBS’s new online social game workplace will be located in Vancouver’s Centre for Digital Media. The centre is a graduate school jointly run by British Columbia’s top four post-secondary institutions: the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. The Vancouver office is expected to be operational in June 2013. NBS also plans to explore the possibility of opening a second studio in Eastern Canada in the future.
“As we build our global development network, we are very honoured and excited to have found Canada as our partner,” said Hajime Nakatani, President of NBS. “Canada has demonstrated a deep understanding of the digital media and game industries, especially in Vancouver, which has a long history as a pioneer in game development. This makes it a perfect choice for our first step forward in establishing our global network. I am confident that we will be able to achieve new and amazing feats in Canada, thanks to its great talent pool, leading-edge academic and research institutions and pro-business federal and provincial governments.”
Key Canadian digital media strengths are in video and computer games, development tools, animation and visual effects. Canada’s game industry is expected to grow 17 percent in 2013, up from 11 percent in 2011. According to a report by the Information and Communications Technology Council, there are between 2,300 and 3,200 digital media firms in Canada employing more than 52,000 people and generating annual revenues of over $3.5 billion.
“With one in 10 Canadian jobs linked to foreign investment, our government understands that attracting new investment is essential to creating jobs and prosperity for Canadian businesses, workers and families,” said Minister Fast.
In 2011-12, Canada’s rock-solid economic fundamentals and leading investment advantages helped attract 152 new foreign businesses and expansion projects worth $20 billion to Canada. More than 7,700 new jobs were created as a result.
Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway: Linking Canada and China
Photo: Minister of State Wong (centre) with delegates from the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative roundtable.
April 8, 2013
Shanghai, China
On behalf of the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), attended an Asia-Pacific Gateway round table in Shanghai, China. Participants at this round table included Canadian and Chinese representatives from ports, railways, shipping and logistics companies, as well as local partners of Canadian companies.
The Asia-Pacific Gateway’s geographic location makes it ideal for facilitating trade between North America and Asia. The Government of Canada and its partners have taken action by making strategic investments in the transportation systems supporting Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway and Asia-Pacific trade. The round-table event provided an opportunity to promote the Asia-Pacific Gateway—together with Canada’s railways and the Port of Metro Vancouver—as the premier link in the supply chains between China and North America. In 2011, the value of Canadian cargo exports to China via the Gateway totalled $16.8 billion.
Ministers Fast and Wong are leading a five-day trade mission to advance the interests of Canadian businesses in China and Japan, which in turn will create jobs and increased prosperity in Canada.
Minister Fast and Minister of State Wong are accompanied on the trade mission by representatives of 18 Canadian companies, mainly small and medium-sized, from Canada’s Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and medical imaging sectors.
The trade mission, which is being organized by Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service, is one of several strategically focused, sector-specific missions that Minister Fast has led since taking on the international trade portfolio.
Located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in regional offices across Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, part of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, is Canada’s most extensive network of international business professionals. The Trade Commissioner Service helps companies that are looking to export, invest abroad, attract investment or develop innovation and R&D partnerships.
Canadian Fish and Seafood are a Hit in China
Photo (left to right): Alice Tam of Clearwater Seafoods Limited’s China operations; Rick Savone, Consul General of Canada, Shanghai; Jack Sheng, President of Shanghai Invent Logistic & Techology Co. Ltd.; Minister of State Wong; He Afang, owner of Junlai Seafood Restaurant, Senator Victor Oh.
April 8, 2013
Shanghai, China
The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, visits a seafood event at Junlai Seafood Restaurant in Shanghai, China, to highlight the world-class fish and seafood Canada exports to China. In the last ten years, the value of fresh-lobster exports from Canada to China rose from $1 million to $35 million. China overtook the European Union as Canada’s second-largest seafood market in 2012, a year when $4.2-billion worth of Canadian seafood products landed on tables in more than 100 countries, with frozen crab the most valuable export.
Minister Fast and Minister of State Wong are leading a five-day trade mission to advance the interests of Canadian businesses in China and Japan, which in turn will create jobs and increased prosperity in Canada. They are accompanied by representatives of 18 Canadian companies, mainly small and medium-sized, from Canada’s information and communications technologies (ICT) and medical imaging sectors.
The trade mission, which is being organized by Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service, is one of several strategically focused, sector-specific missions that Minister Fast has led since taking on the international trade portfolio.
Located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in regional offices across Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, part of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, is Canada’s most extensive network of international business professionals. The Trade Commissioner Service helps companies that are looking to export, invest abroad, attract investment or develop innovation and research and development partnerships.
Minister of State Wong Launches Trade Mission to China and Japan
Photo: Minister of State Wong and the delegation of Canadian ICT companies launch the trade mission in Shanghai.
April 7, 2013
Shanghai, China
The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), are leading a five-day trade mission to advance the interests of Canadian businesses in China and Japan. Increased trade will in turn lead to more jobs and greater prosperity in Canada.
In 2012, a turnaround year for Canada-China trade, two-way merchandise trade amounted to $70.1 billion. China is now Canada’s second-largest export market, after the United States. Japan is Canada’s fourth-largest export market, with exports worth some $10.4 billion in 2012. A Joint Study on the Possibility of a Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement found that such an agreement could increase Canadian exports to Japan by as much as 67 percent.
Minister Fast and Minister of State Wong are accompanied on the trade mission by representatives of 18 mainly small and medium-sized Canadian companies from Canada’s information and communication technologies (ICT) and medical-imaging sectors.
The trade mission, which is being organized by the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, is one of several strategically focused, sector-specific missions that Minister Fast has led since taking on the international trade portfolio.
Located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in regional offices across Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, part of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, is Canada’s most extensive network of international business professionals. The Trade Commissioner Service helps companies that are looking to export, invest abroad, attract investment or develop innovation and R&D partnerships.
Economic Action Plan 2013: Connecting Canadians with Available Jobs
Vancouver, British Columbia—The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) and Member of Parliament for Richmond, British Columbia, today highlighted Economic Action Plan 2013 measures that will address Canada’s overall skills and labour shortages and transform the way Canadians receive skills training, in her remarks at the Canadian Tourism College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“While our economy continues to grow and create jobs, the global economy remains fragile and a growing mismatch exists between available jobs and those looking for work,” said Minister Wong. “By helping Canadians connect with available jobs and putting a new focus on skills and training, we are ensuring continued economic growth, job creation and long-term prosperity.”
Economic Action Plan 2013 announces specific new measures to address skills mismatches and labour shortages. These include:
* Introducing the new Canada Job Grant through renewed Labour Market Agreements, which will transform the way Canadians receive training by placing skills training decisions in the hands of employers and Canadian workers. The new Grant will provide $15,000 or more per person, with a maximum federal contribution of $5,000. It will also ensure greater involvement and engagement of employers in training Canadians for the jobs that are in demand.
* Working with the provinces and territories to harmonize requirements to help apprentices obtain their accreditation and create opportunities, as part of addressing shortages in skilled trades across the country.
* Providing support to groups that are under-represented in the job market, such as people with disabilities, youth, Aboriginal people and newcomers.
“The quality of our workforce must remain one of our greatest strengths,” added Minister Wong. “By governments, businesses, universities, colleges, unions, training institutions and other groups working together, we can make this happen.”
Economic Action Plan 2013 offers a path to return to balanced budgets by 2015-16, which will strengthen Canada’s fiscal advantage and spur long-term jobs and growth.
For more information, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
Canada Job Grant
The Canada Job Grant will ensure Canadians are able to obtain the qualifications they need to get jobs in high-demand fields. The Grant will provide $15,000 or more per person, including a maximum $5,000 federal contribution and matching contributions from provinces, territories and employers. Businesses with a plan to train Canadians for an existing job or a better job will be eligible to apply for a Canada Job Grant. Upon full implementation, nearly 130 000 Canadians each year are expected to be able to access the training they need to obtain employment or improve their skills for in-demand jobs. The Canada Job Grant will be introduced in 2014-15 as part of the renewal of the Labour Market Agreements.
Opportunities for Apprentices
To further reduce barriers to accreditation in the skilled trades in Canada and increase opportunities for apprentices, the Government will work with provinces and territories to harmonize requirements for apprentices, and examine the use of practical hands-on tests as a method of assessment, in targeted skilled trades. This will support more apprentices in completing their training and encourage mobility across the country.
In addition, the Government will support the use of apprentices in federal construction and maintenance contracts. The Government will also ensure that funds transferred to provinces and territories through the Investment in Affordable Housing Program support the use of apprentices. As part of the new Building Canada plan for infrastructure, the Government will encourage provinces, territories and municipalities to support the use of apprentices in infrastructure projects receiving federal funding.
Support for Under-represented Groups
Economic Action Plan 2013 will also support labour market participation and a more inclusive skilled workforce with a range of measures including:
* An introduction of a new generation of Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities with an investment of $222 million per year to better meet the employment needs of Canadian businesses and improve the employment prospects for people with disabilities;
* A reallocation $19 million over two years to promote education in high-demand fields, including the skilled trades, science, technology, engineering and mathematics;
* Investing $70 million over three years to support an additional 5 000 paid internships for recent post-secondary graduates, ensuring they get the valuable hands-on work experience needed to transition into the workforce;
* Dedicating $241 million over five years to improve the on-reserve Income Assistance Program to help ensure Aboriginal youth can access the skills and training they need to secure employment.
* Maintaining funding at $40 million per year, starting in 2015-16, for the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. The program will also be reformed to provide more demand-driven training solutions for persons with disabilities and make it more responsive to labour market needs. Employers and community organizations will be involved in project design and delivery.
* Extending the Enabling Accessibility Fund on an ongoing basis, at a level of $15 million per year, to support capital costs of construction and renovations to improve physical accessibility for persons with disabilities, including workplace accommodation.
For more information about these initiatives, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca
Government of Canada helps prevent elder abuse and financial fraud in Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 12, 2013—As part of Fraud Prevention Month, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), reaffirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to combat elder abuse and financial fraud by funding projects through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). She made the statement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, at an event held today to announce funding for the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia.
“Elder abuse, including financial abuse, is a serious issue that must be addressed,” said Minister of State Wong. “During Fraud Prevention Month, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its commitment to protect the well-being and security of Canadian seniors by supporting activities to prevent elder abuse and financial fraud.”
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS) will receive over $180,000 to develop educational resources that will help health care professionals better understand elder abuse, including financial fraud. Through on-line educational tools or workshops, health care providers in Nova Scotia will learn how to identify possible cases of elder abuse, as well as how to help seniors and their families. The resources will be shared with other organizations across Canada.
“The generous support of the Government of Canada for this project helps us build on the work we have been doing with seniors and their families to address financial and other senior abuse,” said Maria Franks, Executive Director of the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia. “This funding enables us to develop tools that will help health care professionals to identify signs of abuse and seniors who are abused to get assistance.”
Fraud Prevention Month is an annual education campaign to improve awareness and understanding of the dangers of fraud, so that Canadians can protect themselves in the marketplace and avoid becoming victims of fraud. To report instances of fraud, Canadian consumers and businesses can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre through its website at www.antifraudcentre.ca, or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
This is one of 33 pan-Canadian NHSP projects, totaling $14.6 million, announced on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
The Government also invested more than $35.6 million in NHSP funding for over 1 900 new community-based projects across Canada approved through the 2011–2012 call for proposals. For more information, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/seniors.