Readout
Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, spoke with Liz Truss, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for International Trade.
Minister Ng thanked Secretary Truss for the United Kingdom's leadership during its 2021 G7 presidency on an array of trade issues, including the continuing work on reform of the WTO, a goal shared by the 2 countries. The ministers affirmed their commitment to working with international partners at the upcoming G7 trade and investment ministerial meeting on priorities such as trade and health, dispute settlement, digital trade, competitive neutrality, fisheries subsidies, climate change, and women's economic empowerment.
Addressing trade affected by COVID-19, the 2 ministers reiterated their countries' commitment to facilitating the flow of essential goods and services by continuing to deliver concrete actions under the Ottawa Group Trade and Health Initiative and in support of the efforts of WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Minister Ng and Secretary Truss discussed progress toward launching new trade negotiations for a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement. They also discussed the United Kingdom's application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), with Minister Ng noting that the CPTPP Commission would meet in a few weeks to discuss this topic. Minister Ng mentioned that Canada had recently concluded its consultations, which sought the views of Canadians on possible negotiations with the United Kingdom on both agreements.
