May 28, 2021 | International
Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, participated in the G7 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting, hosted by Liz Truss, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade.
May 28, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
International collaboration is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring a strong, resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic recovery guided by a rules-based international trading system.
Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, participated in the G7 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting, hosted by Liz Truss, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade.
At the meeting, the G7 ministers agreed to redouble efforts on the accelerated production and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and to take decisive steps to ensure that the WTO is prepared to respond to future trade and health challenges. This includes support for the United Kingdom’s workplan under its 2021 G7 Presidency to enhance the capacity of the global trading system to respond to public health emergencies. Minister Ng noted the important work underway in the Trade and Health Initiative at the WTO, spearheaded by the Ottawa Group for WTO Reform.
Minister Ng reiterated Canada’s continued engagement with other G7 countries on WTO reform in advance of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in November 2021. This includes strengthening WTO rules to address trade-distorting practices, improving transparency, delivering a timely conclusion of fisheries subsidies negotiations, and providing for effective WTO dispute settlement.
Minister Ng also emphasized the importance of G7 members working together to modernize digital trade rules to support an inclusive economic recovery that leaves no one behind and to ensure that global supply chains are free from goods produced by forced labour. Throughout the two-day event, Minister Ng also highlighted the importance of rules-based trade and WTO initiatives in supporting coordinated global climate change action and in ensuring a sustainable future economy.
In exchanges with her G7 counterparts, Minister Ng emphasized the importance of fostering greater participation in global trade by under-represented groups, including women, Indigenous businesses, racialized entrepreneurs, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Minister Ng encouraged broader G7 participation in two initiatives championed by Canada: the WTO trade and gender workplan, and the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement, both of which promote the greater participation of women in trade and will be crucial in advancing economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The G7 trade and investment ministers agreed to meet again in October 2021 to make further progress on key initiatives in advance of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference.
“Canada continues to work closely with our international partners to ensure that our businesses, workers, and communities emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and that the future economy is more inclusive and sustainable than ever before. The G7 is a vital forum for advancing policies that will help us meet those goals and we will continue to actively lead there.”
– Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
Youmy Han
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and
International Trade
343-551-0246
Youmy.Han@international.gc.ca
Apr 1, 2021 | International
As the Government of Canada continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic, collaborating with international partners is essential to fighting the virus and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive global economic recovery from the pandemic.
March 31, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
As the Government of Canada continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic, collaborating with international partners is essential to fighting the virus and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive global economic recovery from the pandemic.
Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, participated in the first G7 trade and investment ministers’ meeting, which was hosted by the United Kingdom under its G7 presidency for 2021. The ministers agreed to pursue an ambitious G7 trade and investment agenda that responds to the challenges posed by the pandemic and to support an inclusive and sustainable recovery with the WTO at its core.
Minister Ng welcomed the discussion with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the new WTO director general, on the future of the WTO. The G7 ministers agreed to work together to advance concrete outcomes in advance of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in November.
Pursuing trade and investment policies that support women and Indigenous and racialized communities is key to ensuring Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19 is inclusive and meaningful. During a session on women’s economic empowerment, Minister Ng highlighted initiatives that Canada has undertaken to support women’s success in international trade. The Minister encouraged G7 members to participate in the implementation of the WTO trade and gender initiative and, as a specific example, encouraged member countries to use the SheTrades Outlook, an interactive policy tool that helps governments put in place policies to improve women’s participation in international trade.
During the meeting, Minister Ng also emphasized the importance of digital trade and highlighted Canada’s work on a number of initiatives, such as the ongoing WTO negotiations on e-commerce.
Minister Ng reiterated Canada’s support for the United Kingdom-led G7 work plan to enhance the capacity of the trading system to respond to public health emergencies. Ministers discussed the Ottawa Group’s Trade and Health Initiative, which seeks to strengthen the resilience of global supply chains and facilitate trade in essential medical supplies and vaccines.
The trade ministers acknowledged the impacts of unfair trade practices on their economies and agreed to work together to address them. Recognizing the important role that trade has in tackling climate change and ensuring a sustainable environment, the ministers agreed to continue their efforts to take action on climate change through initiatives such as the WTO trade and environment sustainability initiative.
“Canada continues to work closely with our international partners to support Canadian businesses, workers and communities as we fight the pandemic and support an inclusive, sustainable economic recovery through rules-based international trade that works for everyone. We will make sure that the interests of Canadians across the country are at the forefront of our discussions as we work toward ensuring a strong, sustainable, and inclusive economic recovery.”
– Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
Youmy Han
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and
International Trade
343-551-0246
Youmy.Han@international.gc.ca
Mar 10, 2021 | International
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting women entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 crisis and to ensuring that Canada has a feminist recovery.
Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, delivered remarks at Canada’s Feminist Response and Recovery Summit, presented by the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development.
The Summit brought together politicians, experts, feminist leaders and those with lived experience to examine how COVID-19 is impacting the lives of women in Canada. It focused on the steps that governments, civil society and all Canadians can take to advance gender equality and ensure an inclusive recovery.
Minister Ng also moderated a breakout session entitled “Women in the Economy” with economic leaders and businesswomen from across Canada to discuss the unique and systemic barriers facing women, as well as groups like Black and racialized women, Indigenous women and LGBTQ2 individuals. They discussed working together to address these barriers so all Canadians can participate in, contribute to and benefit from the economy.
It is estimated that increasing women’s participation in the economy could add up to $150 billion to Canada’s GDP. The Government of Canada continues to advance women’s economic empowerment with the first-ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a nearly $5‑billion cross-government initiative to increase women-owned businesses’ access to financing, talent, networks and expertise to succeed. During COVID-19, the government is also investing an additional $15 million in the WES Ecosystem Fund to provide timely support and advice to women entrepreneurs facing hardship due to the pandemic.
As Canada addresses the pandemic and steps forward on the road to recovery, the Government of Canada will continue to support women—especially women entrepreneurs—every step of the way.
“After a challenging year that has disproportionately impacted women, we know that their inclusion and empowerment is the way forward. Our government is promoting the success of women in a kaleidoscope of ways, from legislating pay equity and income supports for raising children, to investing in programs to ensure women-owned businesses grow in Canada and around the world. More than social policies, these important economic measures will be critical to our recovery from COVID-19.”
– The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
“COVID has hit women hard, but we have put in place the supports needed to ensure the pandemic does not roll back advancements in gender equality. Our government has a plan to create a million jobs, which includes investments to ensure diverse women have access to the skills training they need to take advantage of new opportunities. Throughout the last year, women small business owners have kept our communities and main streets thriving, and we are continuing to support them through new investments in the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. Our focus remains on keeping women safe and healthy and ensuring their voices are heard throughout the response and recovery.”
– The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development
