WEEK IN REVIEW: AUGUST 4-7
Tuesday August 4th
On her first virtual tour, Minister Ng visited small businesses in Atlantic Canada to highlight the innovative and resilient businesses across the eastern provinces, including those in the seafood and tourism industries, and well as how the government can help them towards economic recovery in the weeks and months to come.
Minister Ng hosted a virtual meeting with members of the Inclusive Trade Action Group (ITAG) to sign the new Global Trade and Gender Arrangement. This agreement between Canada, Chile and New Zealand lays out clear steps for the countries to work together to promote inclusive trade, building on Canada’s longstanding work to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
The tragic explosion in Beirut on this day was devastating for the people in the city, and for many Canadians with loved ones in Lebanon. The Government of Canada announced up to $5 million in humanitarian assistance, with $1.5 million going immediately to trusted partners on the ground, including Red Cross Canada and Red Cross Lebanon.
Wednesday August 5th
It was announced announced that harvesters can apply starting August 24 for Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant – $469 million in funding to help get the hard-working people in fishery businesses the support they need to get through this crisis.
The Government announced major steps in treating and preventing COVID-19 through vaccines and therapies, including two new agreements with pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and Moderna, the members for the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, and funding of up to $56 million to support clinical trials for a COVID-related vaccine candidate from Variation Biotechnologies Inc.
In a call with her U.K. counterpart Liz Truss, Minister Ng discussed strengthening the trading relationship between Canada and the U.K., as well as the U.K.’s interest in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Minister Ng participated in the third CPTPP Commission meeting, hosted virtually by Mexico. All 11 countries discuss how they can foster business growth, the possible expansion of the CPTPP to include more economies, and advance an economic recovery that is inclusive and sustainable for people in all these countries.
Thursday August 6th
Minister Ng had a call with Minister Yoo, South Korea’s Minister for Trade, to talk about the crucial role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in providing predictability for businesses, and the need to continue work of the Canada-led Ottawa Group to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system.
Friday August 7
Government of Canada: We believe the decision by the United States to impose tariffs on certain aluminum products from Canada to be unwarranted and unacceptable. In the time of a global pandemic and an economic crisis, the last thing Canadian and American workers need is new tariffs that will raise costs for manufacturers and consumers, impede the free flow of trade, and hurt provincial and state economies. In response to the American tariffs, Canada intends to swiftly impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures – we welcome your input on our intended countermeasures. You can also watch the press conference held today by Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, for Canada’s full response to these tariffs.