. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/130 
6 January 2010 
 (10-0052) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
  
CANADA 
 
Statement by the Honourable Stockwell Day
 
Minister of International Trade  
   This is the first time that I have the privilege of participating in a WTO Ministrial Conference, and I consider it an honour to be here among you.  I also have the pleasure of introducing my 
colleague Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, who is with me here today. 
  Trade is the life blood of the Canadian ec onomy and the WTO has long been the cornerstone 
of Canadian trade policy.  This is an important  opportunity to take stock of the functioning and 
accomplishments of this institution and to  look to the challenges before us. 
 
 The international community has been strugg ling through one of the worst global economic 
crises we have ever seen.   The WTO has done valuable work in the fight against the risk of increased protectionism in 
economically difficult times.  Director-General La my's tireless advocacy to maintain open markets 
and the work the Secretariat has done in monitoring and reporting on protectionist measures certainly 
have helped us to resist those pressures.   We cannot afford to lose sight of the impor tance of keeping markets open and creating new 
market access opportunities, especially for our developing and least developed trading partners. 
 
 In the meetings, we will be examining measur es that could be introduced with a view to 
further enhancing the Organization's work.  This is why we are eager to continue the discussion of the 
proposal by India, which Canada supports.   Canada remains committed to advancing the agenda  in Trade, Debt and Fi nance.  Canada also 
welcomes the suggestion that we ramp-up efforts to define early actions on environmental goods 
which would be a benefit not only for efforts on c limate change but also in achieving freer and open 
trade here at the WTO.   I also encourage all WTO Members to begin thinking about important emerging issues such 
as the trade dimensions of climate change and in pa rticular the dangers of border measures.  While 
these issues cannot be resolved until th e international climate change re gime has been agreed, it is not 
too early to explore their possible impacts on the trading system.   The single most important thing we can do to help secure a recovery from the global economic crisis and build momentum for futu re growth and stability is to bring the 
Doha Development Round to  a successful conclusion. 
 WT/MIN(09)/ST/130 
Page 2  
 
   The Doha negotiations need to move forward.  We can all see the outlines of a deal, but there 
are gaps that need to be filled.  We must keep  pressing through all available means including bilateral, 
plurilateral and multilateral processes.   While we all inevitably must look to our own inte rests, we also must take our responsibilities.  
We have a solid base on which to build.  At the same time, however, we do need to show flexibility 
where adjustments may be required.  Perhaps most im portantly, we must cooperate so as not to let a 
successful conclusion of more than seven  years of work slip from our grasp. 
  Canada is seeking an ambitious and balanced  outcome in all areas of negotiation, especially 
in:  agriculture, non-agricultural products and service s.  We need to pursue results in these areas that 
will deliver real improvements in market access, as well as an outcome in the rules negotiations.  It 
seems pretty clear that we will not succeed until we address each other's trade interests - each other's 
political sensitivities.  And yes, Canada has trade interests and political sensitivities in the area of 
agriculture:  these sensitivities have not gone away. 
 
 Canada will do everything within its power to conclude this unde rstanding before the 
end of 2010.  We owe this not only to our own c itizens, but to the international community as well. 
 
__________