News & Events - Letters & Editorials
BC Chamber of Commerce supports Doha Agreement
May 7, 2008
The Hon. David Emerson, P.C., M.P.
Minister of International Trade
Minister for the Pacific Gateway
and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
the Vancouver‐Whistler Olympics
Lester B. Pearson Building
Tower B, 5th Floor
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
The Hon. Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri‐Food
Sir John Carling Building, 9th Floor
930 Carling Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5
Dear Minister:
On behalf of the BC Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to express our business community’s support for the successful conclusion of the Doha Round and the economic benefits that it will bring.
As a trade dependent nation, it is critical that Canada actively pursue and support the realization of a
multilateral agreement. The disciplines being negotiated as part of the Doha agreement, including
reductions in tariffs and non‐tariff barriers, will bring tangible benefits and increased market access for
Canadian companies. As an example, the Canadian Agri‐Food Trade Alliance has recently estimated that
the current agricultural modalities being negotiated will result in a $3 billion annual increase just for
seven Canadian primary commodities. We stress that any agreement must contain commitments and
increased market access in all three pillars of the negotiations: agriculture, non‐agricultural market
access and services.
In conjunction with our federal organization, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, we continue to support the Doha Round and advocate for Canada’s active participation in bringing about a successful conclusion to an agreement that will produce benefits for Canadian business.
Sincerely,
Daren Hancott
Chair,
BC Chamber of Commerce
John Winter
President & CEO
BC Chamber of Commerce
CC: Conservative MPs from BC – Hon. Jim Abbott, Ron Cannan, John Cummins, Hon. Stockwell
Day, Ed Fast, Nina Grewal, Richard Harris, Russ Hiebert, Hon. Jay Hill, Betty Hinton, Randy Kamp,
Hon. Gary Lunn, James Lunney, Colin Mayes, James Moore, Hon. Chuck Strahl, Mark Warawa,
Canadian Chamber of Commerce