CANADA ECONOMICS

CANADA - FRANCE

PM. Itinerary for Tuesday, April 17, 2018 Ottawa, Ontario - April 16, 2018

Note: All times local

Itinerary for the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, for Tuesday, April 17, 2018:

Paris, France

9 a.m. The Prime Minister will arrive at the Senate.

15 rue de Vaugirard                                                                       

Note for media:

Pooled photo opportunity of arrival

9:05 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Speaker of the Senate.

Petit Luxembourg Building

Senate

15 rue de Vaugirard

Note for media:

Pooled photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting

9:55 a.m. The Prime Minister will arrive at the Hôtel Matignon.

57 rue de Varenne

Note for media:

Pool photo opportunity of arrival

10 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of the French Republic, Édouard Philippe.

Hôtel Matignon

Note for media:

Pooled photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting

2:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will arrive at the National Assembly.

126 rue de l’Université

Note for media:

Open coverage

2:35 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, François de Rugy.

Hôtel de Lassay

National Assembly

126 rue de l’Université

Note for media:

Pooled photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting

3 p.m. The Prime Minister will deliver an address to the National Assembly.

Sessions Room

Palais Bourbon

National Assembly

Note for media:

Open coverage

3:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will attend a reception with Parliamentarians given by the Speaker of the National Assembly.  

Closed to the media

4:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Canadian Commercial Delegation.

Open Space

6th Floor

Embassy of Canada

Note for media:

Pooled photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting

London, United Kingdom

8:25 p.m. The Prime Minister will arrive in London, United Kingdom.

Inflite Jet Centre

London Stansted Airport

Note to media:

Pooled photo opportunity upon arrival

The Globe and Mail. 17 Apr 2018. French President leads West’s push for peace in Syria following air strikes
PAUL WALDIE

After firing more than 100 missiles at Syria, Western allies are now trying to coordinate a peace process that would end the seven-year long conflict but could still leave Bashar al-Assad in power.

French President Emmanuel Macron has been leading the effort and on Monday he said Western allies have a responsibility to the Syrian people to help them build a free society once the civil war has ended.

During a press conference after meeting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Élysée Palace, Mr. Macron offered to act as a mediator between the West and Mr. alAssad’s main backers, Russia and Iran, as well as Turkey, which has been fighting Kurdish forces in northern Syria who have been aligned to the United States. “Peace won’t happen in Syria until we have certainty that all minorities are represented,” he said

This will be the latest in many attempts at ending the war. The United Nations has been pursuing a peace process for two years that would include constitutional reform and elections, but talks have broken down. The European Union is hoping to revive the UN process when EU foreign ministers meet next week to discuss Syria and put pressure on Russia to involve the Syrian government in the talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has held meetings with Mr. al-Assad, Iran and Turkey in the hopes of structuring a power-sharing arrangement, but that, too, has failed.

The West had for years been calling for Mr. al-Assad’s removal and used that as a pretext to back rebels battling the regime. But that has been quietly dropped as Syrian forces, with Russian and Iranian help, have gained the upper hand. Now Mr. alAssad looks stronger than ever and Mr. Macron is suggesting working with Russia and Iran on a solution. That, too, seems difficult given the growing mistrust between Russia and the West, compounded by the military strikes which Russia has insisted were illegal.

During Monday’s press conference, Mr. Macron defended Friday’s missile strikes, saying it was a legitimate action against the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons. And he said the West will continue to fight the Islamic State in the country until that battle is won. But, he added, the West will continue to have a responsibility to the Syrian people after the civil conflict ends. That responsibility includes helping develop a constitutional and political framework that will allow Syrians living in the country, as well as those forced into exile around the world, to “decide freely their future political regime and assure a constitutional structure that permits an inclusive solution.”

Mr. Macron made no mention of the removal of Mr. al-Assad and he joined British Prime Minister Theresa May in insisting that Friday’s military action was not “about regime change.” U.S. President Donald Trump has also been lukewarm about removing Mr. al-Assad as a priority and Mr. Trump recently indicated he wanted to pull U.S. forces out of the area.

The French President appears to be treading a careful line on Syria. He led the call for the missile strikes and he has harshly condemned the Assad regime, saying it was an enemy of the Syrian people.

Mr. Macron was also the first Western leader to speak with Mr. Putin after the missile attacks and he urged the Russian leader to engage in more dialogue “to bring peace and stability back to Syria.” On Monday, Mr. Macron also offered to work with Russia and Turkey on humanitarian relief efforts in Syria.

It’s unclear how far his appeals will go. Russia has long backed Mr. al-Assad, and securing his position − and protecting Russia’s military presence in the country − will be key.

While Mr. Macron was outlining a peaceful way forward, Ms. May was defending the air strikes in the British Parliament, where she accused the Assad regime of committing a horrifying act with its alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma earlier this month. “Innocent families – seeking shelter in underground bunkers – found dead with foam in their mouths, burns to their eyes and their bodies surrounded by a chlorine-like odour,” Ms. May told MPs.

She said it was clear that only the Assad regime could have carried out the attack with Russia’s help. And she blamed both Syria and Russia for preventing UN chemical-weapons inspectors from reaching the site of the attack. That delay was one reason the Western allies had to act quickly with the military strikes, she said. “We cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks.”

U.S. officials have also expressed concern that Russians may have visited the site and removed evidence. Russian and Syrian forces have denied holding up the inspectors or tampering with evidence and both have said the chemical attack never took place.

The head of the international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said on Monday that Syrian and Russian forces had cited security issues for delays in allowing inspectors to reach the site of the alleged gas attack. Russian officials have said the inspectors will be permitted entry on Wednesday.

THE GLOBAL AND MAIL. THE CANADIAN PRESS. APRIL 17, 2018. Trudeau speaks on climate change, trade at French National Assembly

PARIS - With trademark rhetorical flourish, Justin Trudeau delivered a message of inclusive economic growth, environmental guardianship, progressive trade and gender parity Tuesday as he became the first Canadian prime minister to address the French National Assembly.

Beneath the soaring, gilt-edged ceilings of the assembly’s lower house, Trudeau delivered an impassioned defence of the virtues the two countries share — and a few that not everyone in the chamber agreed with.

The loudest, most enthusiastic standing ovations were reserved for his remarks about climate change, the shared history between Canada and France during the first and second world wars and Canada’s efforts to preserve and protect French culture.

Other topics — immigration and diversity, for instance, and the contentious Canada-EU free trade deal that’s currently awaiting ratification in France — proved decidedly less popular.

The trade deal “goes further than any other trade agreement in the world” on the protection of human rights, the environment and the mobility of citizens, Trudeau said in French.

“It preserves the right of states to legislate and regulate in the public interest, to implement policies to support their cultural industries, in addition to protecting labour standards and promoting greater environmental co-operation.”

On Monday, Canada and France pledged to renew the fight against climate change, hoping to preserve momentum on the world stage now that U.S. President Donald Trump has withdrawn his country from the Paris climate agreement.

A new France-Canada partnership that includes pushing for a global price on carbon falls in line with the Trudeau government’s priorities for the G7 Summit in Quebec in June.

Officials say the government is also hoping the partnership will convince the French that Canada is serious about fighting climate change — and as a result help with ratification of the deal.

There have been concerns in France that investor-protection clauses within the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, or CETA, would lead to weakened environmental rules.

Trudeau ran through a laundry list of French businesses that he said stand to benefit by expanding their operations and opportunities in Canada, where he said French investment increased by 23 per cent last year.

And he repeated a favourite line: if Europe can’t make a free trade deal with Canada, what other country could it possibly expect to make a similar deal?

The trade deal prompted audible grumbles and murmurs from opposition MPs, and large sections of the assembly did not applaud —including right-wing National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who spent the bulk of the speech sitting on her hands.

Trudeau lingered on the subject of Canada’s G7 presidency, which is to be succeeded next year by France itself. He promised to focus on themes that would address flat growth, the income gap and social inequality.

“These inequalities are eroding not only the standard of living of the middle class, but also the confidence of the population in world trade, international co-operation and liberal democracy.”

Trudeau’s speech also touched on the importance of battling the rise of nationalism, populism and xenophobia, which have become serious concerns in France and other parts of Europe.

And he cheered efforts in France to pursue gender parity in government, a comment that earned a standing ovation from the women in the assembly, as well as a handful of the men.

Later Tuesday, the prime minister was scheduled to depart for London, where he is scheduled to meet with British counterpart Theresa May and the Queen.

NAFTA

REUTERS. APRIL 17, 2018. NAFTA officials set for Washington meeting to push for progress
David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The top U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials driving NAFTA renegotiations will meet in Washington on Thursday, a Canadian government source said on Tuesday, as pressure for a quick deal mounts.

Although the United States is keen to quickly wrap up negotiations to update the $1.2 trillion North American Free Trade Agreement, officials say several contentious issues must still be resolved.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wants some kind of agreement in place before campaigning for a July 1 presidential election in Mexico gathers pace.

Lighthizer, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo last met on April 6.

Guajardo said on Monday the three officials might gather again this Thursday in Washington, and the Canadian government source confirmed the meeting would go ahead.

“It’s a continuation of the conversation they started on two weeks ago,” said the source, describing recent exchanges between the three nations as very productive.

Guajardo and others have said a NAFTA deal could be possible by early May, but significant differences remain on U.S. proposals to revise content rules for the automotive sector and to change dispute resolution mechanisms as well as other issues.

“I wouldn’t be expecting an announcement out of this meeting (on Thursday),” added the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who blames NAFTA for job losses in the American manufacturing sector, regularly threatens to walk away from the pact unless major changes are made.

Moises Kalach, head of the international negotiating arm of the CCE business lobby, which represents the Mexican private sector at the talks, said the three teams were working “night and day” to get a deal on the new auto sector rules.

For the three nations to agree a new NAFTA, the U.S. team would need to show more flexibility, he said. So far, Trump had not changed his attitude on the toughest issues, he added.

“The Mexican government, and more so the Mexican private sector can’t agree to a bad deal because it won’t pass Mexico’s congress or the U.S. congress,” he said in an interview.

Additional reporting by Dave Graham in Mexico City; Editing Jeffrey Benkoe and Alistair Bell

BLOOMBERG. 17 April 2018. Canadian Opposition to Nafta's Chapter 11 Gives Trudeau Leeway
By Greg Quinn

• Dislike of investor-state dispute mechanism appears widespread
• Public consultation files detail what Trudeau team was told

Canadians urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to concede on a U.S. demand in Nafta negotiations around investor disputes, while holding firm on calls for more environmental and labor protection.

The most frequent advice the government heard in public consultations before North American Free Trade Agreement talks opened in August was to eliminate Chapter 11, the part of the pact that deals with investor-state dispute settlement, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg News through a freedom of information request. The government began the consultation process last year by asking for written submissions from the public after the U.S. gave notice it wanted to renegotiate the 24-year-old agreement.

The finding suggests Trudeau has some leeway to soften his defense of the contentious dispute settlement process, which the U.S. wants to make optional, particularly if he can make gains in areas deemed more important to the electorate. The prime minister met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in Peru last weekend and signaled willingness to reach some kind of agreement in the next few weeks, even as major obstacles remain over issues such as automobile-content rules.

“There is still a legitimate division” over Chapter 11 being in Nafta, said Colin Robertson, a former diplomat and research fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. “Do we really need this if you have enough other recourse and you have a fair legal system to guard against expropriation?” Chapter 11 was designed to ensure foreign investors are treated fairly in cases such as expropriation of assets, and offers a way to settle disputes through negotiation or arbitration.

Of about 200 letters and emails released by the government, 50 demanded the removal of Chapter 11 on the basis that it gives companies too much power. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s lead negotiator on the Nafta file, said in a speech last year that investor-state dispute settlement should be reformed to ensure governments have “an unassailable right to regulate in the public interest.”

Internet freedom advocates OpenMedia and 10 other lobbying groups said last week Canada should publish all 46,400 submissions before an agreement is reached. That will show if “the government is listening and planning to act on the consultation results, rather than merely using the consultation as a public relations exercise,” OpenMedia campaigner Marie Aspiazu said in a statement.

“Our negotiators engage regularly with an eye to ensuring that our priorities reflect those of the workers and industries that benefit from Nafta,” Adam Austen, a spokesman for Freeland, said Monday by email.

Paring back Chapter 11 isn’t good enough, the mechanism needs to be removed completely, according to Sujata Dey, a trade campaigner at the Council of Canadians, a non-profit social justice group. “It doesn’t actually get rid of the fundamental problem, which is that companies are given binding rights,” she said from Montreal. Just reforming Chapter 11 “wouldn’t be a satisfying move.”

Some 20 submissions called for dispute settlement clauses to be kept or strengthened. Most of these named Chapter 19, which covers anti-dumping and countervailing duty disputes. Canada has battled the U.S. in recent years over softwood lumber, metals and dairy products. The U.S. wants to make Chapter 11 optional.

Some of Trudeau’s other progressive ideas for Nafta aren’t very popular. While 29 submissions wanted environmental protection and another 21 sought better labor rules, there was far less support for Trudeau’s call for chapters on gender and indigenous rights.

Priorities expressed during the consultations also included modernizing Nafta for the digital age, boosting labor and environment protections, cutting red tape and ensuring a free market in government procurement, according to the 1,400 pages of documents, which also showed support for adding restrictions, such as tougher rules against exports of water and energy and to bar tobacco companies from suing governments.

AVIATION

THE GLOBE AND MAIL. REUTERS. APRIL 17, 2018. WTO allows Brazil’s C Series complaint to proceed
TOM MILES, GENEVA

Brazil has secured World Trade Organization backing to press its claims against Canada in a dispute over what it says are unfair subsidies for Bombardier Inc’s C Series jets, a preliminary WTO ruling published on Tuesday showed.

Brazil launched the WTO dispute last year, saying the C Series had received $3 billion in federal, provincial and local subsidies.

Canada objected, saying Brazil had unfairly broadened the case by including four claims that went beyond its original complaint.

Those claims included regional programmes in Montreal and Quebec and Canada’s “superclusters” initiative which sought to invest up to $950 million over five years in highly innovative industries.

Brazil said it had only found out about those four initiatives later, when the United States was investigating potential Canadian subsidies, and said their inclusion did not change the essence of the dispute.

The United States imposed heavy duties on the CSeries jet last year in a damaging trade dispute with Boeing, prompting a sale of 50.01 per cent of the CSeries to Europe’s biggest aerospace group Airbus.

In their preliminary ruling on the case, the three-person WTO dispute panel threw out Canada’s argument.

“The panel agrees with Brazil that the four measures at issue fit within the scope and essence of the dispute as described by Brazil, so that the scope of the dispute is not expanded by Brazil’s panel request,” the preliminary ruling said.

Canada had also argued that Brazil had failed to identify specific payments from Canada’s Centre technologique en aérospatiale (CTA), the National Research Council (NRC), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

But the panel rejected that argument too.

“We conclude that Canada’s and Québec’s provision of funding, technology transfer, in-kind goods and services, and other support through the CTA, the NRC, and the NSERC is identified with sufficient particularity in Brazil’s panel request and therefore falls within the Panel’s terms of reference,” the panel said.

REUTERS. APRIL 17, 2018. Brazil secures WTO backing in dispute with Canada's Bombardier
Tom Miles, Bruno Federowski

GENEVA/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil has secured World Trade Organization backing to press its claims against Canada in a dispute over what it says are unfair subsidies for Bombardier Inc’s (BBDb.TO) CSeries jets, a preliminary WTO ruling published on Tuesday showed.

The case plays into a decades-long dispute between Bombardier and its main rival, Brazil’s Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA), which gained higher profile after European heavyweight Airbus SE (AIR.PA) agreed to take over the Canadian firm.

“What happened today was very important for Brazil, it was a small victory,” Celso Pereira, a Brazilian diplomat at the WTO, told Reuters in a phone interview. “Now the game will really begin. We’ve overcome an important barrier.”

Brazil launched the WTO dispute last year, saying the CSeries had received $3 billion in federal, provincial and local subsidies.


Canada objected, saying Brazil had unfairly broadened the case by including four claims that went beyond its original complaint. Brazil said their inclusion did not change the essence of the dispute.

In their preliminary ruling on the case, the three-person WTO dispute panel threw out Canada’s argument.

“The panel agrees with Brazil that the four measures at issue fit within the scope and essence of the dispute as described by Brazil, so that the scope of the dispute is not expanded by Brazil’s panel request,” the preliminary ruling said.

Canada had also argued that Brazil had failed to identify specific payments from Canadian research and technology councils.

But the panel rejected that argument too.

“We conclude that Canada’s and Quebec’s provision of funding, technology transfer, in-kind goods and services, and other support ... is identified with sufficient particularity in Brazil’s panel request and therefore falls within the panel’s terms of reference,” the panel said.

Bombardier Inc
3.77
BBDB.TOTORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE
+0.07(+1.89%)
BBDb.TO

BBDb.TOEMBR3.SAAIR.PABA.N

The panel will now assess arguments from both Brazil and Canada over the alleged subsidies. Pereira said he expects a final decision sometime next year.

The United States imposed heavy duties on the CSeries jet last year in a damaging trade dispute with Boeing (BA.N), prompting a sale of 50.01 percent of the CSeries to Airbus.

Reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Bruno Federowski in Brasilia; Editing by Edmund Blair and Rosalba O'Brien

The Globe and Mail. THE CANADIAN PRESS. 17 Apr 2018. Bombardier union optimistic about contract negotiations with Airbus

Under the terms of the deal announced last fall, Airbus will hold 50.1 per cent of the new partnership.

The union representing Bombardier Inc. employees doesn’t anticipate overly acrimonious negotiations to renew the collective agreement once Airbus SE takes control of the C Series program.

The contract expires on Nov. 30, but the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) travelled to France to meet with the three main aerospace unions to learn more about their relationship with Airbus.

David Chartrand, the union’s Quebec co-ordinator, says he was somewhat reassured because there is already a fairly strong union culture in both France and

Canada. He says he was “happy” to negotiate with the French company rather than Boeing Co., the

American aerospace giant that could have been Bombardier’s partner in the C Series.

The IAMAW is still waiting for the partnership between Bombardier and the French giant to be finalized that will give Airbus majority control of the C Series program without having to pay a cent.

In March, Bombardier Aerospace workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new reciprocity agreement that ensures workers who switch between Bombardier and the future partnership don’t lose their pensions and keep most seniority benefits, including salary and vacation time.

Under the terms of the deal announced last fall, Airbus will hold 50.1 per cent of the new partnership.

Bombardier’s share will increase to 31 per cent while that of the Quebec government – which injected US$1-billion to obtain 49.5 per cent in 2015 – is slated to fall to 19 per cent.

BREXIT

The Globe and Mail. 17 Apr 2018. Brexit thrusts Commonwealth summit out of the shadows and into the spotlight

Much of the focus of the two-day leaders’ meeting is expected to be on Britain’s departure from the EU, Paul Waldie reports.

As the leaders of the 53 Commonwealth countries prepare to gather this week in London for their biennial summit, there’s a growing sense of revival within the organization.

Once seen by many as a relic of the colonial era, the Commonwealth has suddenly become relevant, thanks largely to Brexit and the increasing isolationism in the United States. And, with 2.4 billion people and nearly US$10-trillion in total economic output, the organization is hard to ignore.

Trade will be a major topic of discussion during the two-day leaders’ meeting, which starts on Thursday with much of the focus on Britain’s departure from the European Union in March, 2019. But it won’t be the only topic. There will also be a discussion about a new charter on ocean governance to promote environmental protection and sustainable development of maritime industries, as well as a declaration on cybercrime and new guidelines for election observation.

The leaders will also have to wrestle with human rights and the treatment of LGBT communities in 37 member countries. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who heads to London for the summit after visiting France, has made LGBT rights a major concern at the Commonwealth, but leaders have controversially taken that off the agenda for this meeting.

And then there’s the issue of leadership. The Queen is turning 92 and the leaders will attend a special birthday concert. There’s also speculation they will privately discuss who should succeed her as head of the Commonwealth. It’s not a hereditary position and her successor won’t automatically assume the title. So who will it be?

Here’s a look at what to expect from the meeting.

Trade

Commonwealth leaders have talked about increasing trade among member states for decades with little to show for it. Brexit has given the debate some new momentum. Britain will be out of the EU next March and the country is eager to find new trading partners. Many British lawmakers see the Commonwealth as a natural place to start. They argue that the common ties among the 53 member countries make it an ideal trading bloc. Indeed, some studies have shown that the commonalities among Commonwealth members − such as similar legal systems and the same language – mean that the costs of trading within the group are 19 per cent less than trading among non-member states.

Currently, intra-Commonwealth trade stands at around US$560-billion annually. That’s expected to rise to US$1-trillion by 2020 and could go higher if Brexit leads to more trade. Canada, too, should look toward the Commonwealth for greater trade diversity, especially if the United States pulls back from the North American free-trade Agreement, says Imran Abdool, an economics professor at the University of Windsor. He believes that in the next 10 years or so, Canada should increase its trade among its Commonwealth brethren. “If there is the political will, I think it’s something that could very well happen,” he said. “A lot of these countries, they are kind of becoming mistrustful of traditional trading partners. And I think there’s going to have to be a restart to international trade.”

There is also a growing move toward free trade and free movement of people, among four key Commonwealth members: Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. “What we’re saying is that especially between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, there’s definitely no harm in having free trade and there’s certainly a great benefit,” said James Skinner, who heads the Vancouver-based Commonwealth Freedom of Movement Organization. “Brexit is going to be a great opportunity for the U.K. to negotiate its own trade agreements. What we would like to see is for the United Kingdom to join the trade agreement that exists between Australia and New Zealand and also for Canada to join that as well. That’s not only for trade in goods, but also mutual recognition of skills such as doctors and architects, to work in each country.”

In another signal of the importance of the trade issues within the Commonwealth, India’s Prime Minister is attending the leaders’ summit for the first time in nine years. India has been lacklustre about the Commonwealth, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been keen to develop new trading relationships. There have also been suggestions that India could take on more of a leadership role within the organization.

Many others question the likelihood of the Commonwealth becoming an effective trading bloc, or even much of an alternative for Britain after Brexit. They point to the huge economic disparity among Commonwealth members, which range from dozens of tiny countries such as Nauru, with a population of about 13,000, to India with around 1.3 billion people. The far-flung nature of the association also makes trade difficult and Britain’s current trade with Commonwealth countries makes up about one-tenth of its total exports.

Canada has also shown little interest in boosting trade among its Commonwealth partners. In an interview last month, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said although Canada has historic ties to the Commonwealth, the government’s trade priorities lie elsewhere. “Our approach around expanding trading relationships has been to be focused on places where we have current and future opportunities,” he said, referring to the EU and China. “So we are thinking about the size of the economies that we’re trying to expand trade with.”

UN 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Global Affairs Canada. April 17, 2018. Canada moving forward on implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at home and abroad

Ottawa, Ontario - Canada and the rest of the world adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN General Assembly in 2015. This universal plan of action aims to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity in every country, including Canada. The Government of Canada is committed to building the more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world that the SDGs envision and recognizes that the only way to do this is by working together with all national partners.

All Canadians, including all levels of government, Indigenous peoples, civil society and the private sector, have a role to play in advancing the SDGs and ensuring no one is left behind. The SDGs can only be achieved if everyone is on board. This is why the Government of Canada is taking steps to develop a national strategy and launching, today, the Voluntary National Review Web portal to invite Canadians to tell us how they are helping to advance the SDGs at home and abroad.

Over the coming months, the government will:

• reach out to Canadians, including Indigenous peoples, civil society, the private sector and other levels of government, to develop a national strategy that will catalyze action on the SDGs across the country;
• work with all partners to build public awareness and foster new partnerships and networks to advance the SDGs;
• take steps to ensure all federal departments and agencies integrate the SDGs into all of their policies and programs. A robust SDG team will be established to coordinate and support these efforts. This team will also help gather data, report and communicate on progress toward the SDGs;
• continue to work, through Statistics Canada, with the United Nations and Canadian partners on the global SDG indicator framework to help Canada and the world measure progress; and
• present its first Voluntary National Review at the United Nations High Level Political Forum in July 2018. This review will highlight the actions that Canada has already taken over the last three years and outline future plans.

These measures build on the work that the Government of Canada has already been doing to advance the SDGs at home and abroad through its policies and programs. For example, the government’s focus on gender equality and efforts to grow the middle class, as well as its National Housing Strategy and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, which aims to protect the planet, are driving progress toward the SDGs. Canada’s efforts to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in September 2017 at the United Nation’s General Assembly, is another strong example of Canada’s commitment to the SDGs.

Internationally, Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy is helping to eradicate poverty and advance the SDGs. Canada firmly believes that promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the best way to do this.

Budget 2018 also announced measures that will further contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. These include $49.4 million over 13 years to establish the SDG team and fund monitoring and reporting activities by Statistics Canada and $59.8 million from existing resources for programming to support the implementation of the SDGs in Canada.

Quotes

“The ambitious agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals is Canada’s agenda. Through our investments here at home and abroad, we are doing our part to make our world a better and safer place for all. Globally, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are at the heart of Canada’s approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda.”

- Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

“Canada has demonstrated its strong commitment to innovation with significant investments in scientific research and clean technology to protect our environment, support a sustainable low-carbon economy and promote equality and prosperity for those who need it most at home and around the world.”

- Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“It is crucial we listen to the voices of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples as we work together in achieving the 2030 Agenda. True reconciliation requires our collective action to close the gaps in health, education and economic outcomes and to create a healthier planet through sustainable development.”

- Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs

“I’m proud to say that the Sustainable Development Goals align with the priorities our government has put forward. Reducing poverty and fighting inequality, making a better future for Canada and the world; this is what we are all after. It is by working together that we can make a difference to reduce poverty in our communities and help all Canadians have a real and fair chance to succeed.”

- Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“In line with the 2030 Agenda, our Government is working  hard to give all Canadians tools and support to get the skills they need to find, and keep, good quality, well-paying jobs. Our country is stronger and more prosperous when everyone has a real and fair chance to benefit from our growing economy ."

- The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

“Achieving a more sustainable future requires serious action on climate change, improving the health of our oceans, protecting nature, and making sure that all Canadians can prosper from the transition to cleaner economic growth. Canada’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategy outlines practical steps toward achieving those goals and ensuring that the environment and the economy go hand-in-hand.” 

- Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is a major priority for Canada and the world. This commitment is clearly reflected in stand-alone SDG 5 and integrated across the other 16 SDGs. As a government, we understand that women and girls must be able to reach their full potentials, and that is why we will continue to take concrete measures to eliminate barriers to their equality at home and internationally.”

- Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women

“There is much work to be done in order to close the socio-economic gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. However, we have made substantial commitments—in housing, water, education, health and economic development—in partnership with Indigenous peoples that will benefit First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation as we move forward in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

-  Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick facts

• In May, Statistics Canada will create a website to publish Canadian data on the SDG indicators.
• In addition to initiatives undertaken by the Government of Canada, Canadians working in all sectors are also taking action on the SDGs. The new SDG team will support their efforts and encourage the sharing of best practices to maximize progress.
• Canadians have until May 4, 2018, to provide their input to the Voluntary National Review web portal. Some stories may be included in Canada’s Voluntary National Review or featured on a Government of Canada website.

Backgrounder

Building on the progress made by the Millennium Development Goals between 2000 and 2015, the 2030 Agenda sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, to eradicate poverty, end hunger, protect the planet and ensure prosperity by the year 2030. The SDGs apply to every country.

• Goal 1: No poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
• Goal 2: Zero hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
• Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
• Goal 4: Quality education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Goal 5: Gender equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth - Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
• Goal 10: Reduced inequalities - Reduce income inequality within and among countries.
• Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• Goal 13: Climate action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy.
• Goal 14: Life below water - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
• Goal 15: Life on land - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification; halt and reverse land degradation; and halt biodiversity loss.
• Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all; and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

While all ministers, federal departments and agencies will support the implementation of the SDGs, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has tasked eight ministers to champion the advancement of the 2030 Agenda:

• The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
• The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
• The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie
• The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
• The Honourable Patricia Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
• The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
• The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women
• The Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services

FULL DOCUMENT: https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2018/04/canada-moving-forward-on-implementing-the-united-nations-2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development-at-home-and-abroad.html

G7

Global Affairs Canada. April 16, 2018. G7 foreign ministers’ statement

Ottawa, Ontario - The G7 foreign ministers today issued the following statement:

“We, the G7 foreign ministers, of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal, using a nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom, on March 4, 2018. A British police officer and numerous civilians were exposed in the attack and required hospital treatment, and the lives of many more innocent British civilians have been threatened. We express our deepest sympathies to them all and our admiration and support for the U.K. emergency services for their courageous response.

“The United Kingdom has thoroughly briefed G7 partners. We share, and agree with, the U.K.’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation was responsible for the attack and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. We condemn Russia’s continued failure to address legitimate requests from the U.K. government, which further underlines its responsibility. We call on Russia to urgently address all questions related to the incident in Salisbury. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has now independently confirmed the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical that was used in Salisbury. Russia should provide full and complete disclosure of its previously undeclared Novichok program to the OPCW in line with its international obligations.

“This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War and is a grave challenge not only to the security of the United Kingdom but to our shared security. It is an assault on U.K. sovereignty. Any use of chemical weapons by a state party, under any circumstances, is a clear breach of international law and a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. It is a threat to us all. Their use is abhorrent, completely unacceptable and must be systematically and rigorously condemned. We, participating states of the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, stand together against impunity for those who develop or use these weapons, anywhere, any time, under any circumstances.

“The G7 is committed to protecting and promoting the rules-based international system. We stand in unqualified solidarity with the United Kingdom. Our concerns are also heightened against the background of a pattern of earlier irresponsible and destabilizing Russian behaviour, including interference in countries’ democratic systems. We call on Russia to live up to its Chemical Weapons Convention obligations, as well as its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to uphold international peace and security. In order to bring Russia back into the rules-based international system, we will continue to engage with Russia, as appropriate, on addressing regional crises and global challenges.

“The G7 will continue to bolster its capabilities to address hybrid threats, including in the areas of cybersecurity, strategic communication and counter-intelligence. We welcome national action taken to constrain Russian hostile-intelligence activity and to enhance our collective security. The G7 will remain closely focused on this issue and its implications.”

MANUFACTURING

StatCan. 2018-04-17. Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, February 2018

• Manufacturing sales: $55.8 billion, February 2018, 1.9% increase (monthly change)
• Inventories: $77.4 billion, February 2018, 1.3% increase (monthly change)
• Inventory-to-sales ratio: 1.39, February 2018, -0.01 pts decrease (monthly change)
• Unfilled orders: $89.7 billion, February 2018, 3.0% increase (monthly change)
• Source(s): CANSIM table 304-0014: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&retrLang=eng&id=3040014&&pattern=&stByVal=1&p1=1&p2=31&tabMode=dataTable&csid=

Manufacturing sales increased 1.9% to $55.8 billion in February, following two consecutive monthly decreases. The growth was due mainly to higher sales in the transportation equipment industry.

Sales were up in 14 of 21 industries, representing 72.2% of the total Canadian manufacturing sector.

Chart 1: Manufacturing sales rise

In constant dollars, sales rose 2.0%, slightly more than the gain in current dollar sales, reflecting a slight decrease in prices of products sold by Canadian manufacturers in February.

Transportation equipment industry posts the largest gain

Sales in the transportation equipment industry grew 6.6% to $10.7 billion in February, following a 6.3% decline in January. This growth was due to advances in the motor vehicle (+8.9%) and motor vehicle parts (+4.8%) industries. These increases came on the heels of atypical assembly plant shutdowns in January. In constant dollars, sales volumes rose 9.3% in motor vehicle manufacturing and 4.8% in motor vehicle parts manufacturing in February.

Sales in the primary metal manufacturing industry rose 4.8% to $4.3 billion, following two straight monthly decreases. The increase in February was primarily the result of increased volumes. In constant dollars, sales in this industry were up 4.6%.

Sales were also up in the paper manufacturing (+3.2%) and computer and electronic product manufacturing (+5.7%) industries, following declines the previous month.

These increases were partially offset by a 2.1% decrease in the petroleum and coal products industry, whose sales totalled $5.8 billion, which was partly explained by the decrease in the price of refined products. After removing the effect of price changes, sales volumes of petroleum and coal products declined slightly by 0.7% in February.

Ontario and Quebec top sales increases

Sales rose in six provinces in February. However, Ontario and Quebec were the main contributors to this growth.

After falling 2.1% in January, sales in Ontario rose 3.0% to $25.9 billion in February. This growth was mainly on account of the motor vehicle (+9.0%) and motor vehicle parts (+4.9%) industries. These increases were partially offset by lower sales of chemical products (-3.0%), machinery (-2.9%) and petroleum and coal products (-2.7%).

In Quebec, sales rose 2.2% to $13.5 billion in February, following two consecutive monthly decreases. Increases were noted in 14 of 21 industries, mainly due to a 6.0% gain in sales in the primary metal manufacturing industry and a 2.5% increase in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry.

British Columbia posted the largest monthly decrease (-1.3%) and its fourth consecutive monthly decline. The decline in February was mostly due to lower sales in the electrical equipment, appliance and component industry.

Record high inventories

Total inventories rose 1.3% to a record high $77.4 billion in February. This was the fifth consecutive monthly gain in inventories, with 14 of 21 industries posting increases. The growth was mainly attributable to the transportation equipment (+3.8%), primary metal (+2.6%) and fabricated metal product (+3.1%) industries.

Chart 2: Record high inventories

The inventory-to-sales ratio edged down from 1.40 in January to 1.39 in February. The inventory-to-sales ratio measures the time, in months, that would be required to exhaust inventories if sales were to remain at their current level.

Chart 3: The inventory-to-sales ratio declines

Unfilled orders increase

Unfilled orders rose 3.0% to $89.7 billion in February, a second consecutive monthly gain. The growth in unfilled orders was largely driven by the aerospace product and parts (+4.2%), fabricated metal product (+5.0%) and computer and electronic product (+4.1%) manufacturing industries.

Chart 4: Unfilled orders increase

New orders rose 5.0% to $58.4 billion in February, the third consecutive monthly increase. The transportation equipment and fabricated metal product industries were largely responsible for the gain in new orders nationally.

Table 304-0014 ^{1, 2, 3, 4}
Manufacturers' sales, inventories, orders and inventory to sales ratios, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), Canada
monthly (dollars unless otherwise noted)

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• Tab 2:Add/Remove data
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Data table

The data below is a part of CANSIM table  304-0014.  Use the  Add/Remove data  tab to customize your table.

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Geography = Canada
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) = Manufacturing [31-33 ]

Principal statistics	Seasonal adjustment	2017			2018
		October	November	December	January	February
footnotes
Sales of goods manufactured (shipments)	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	55,088,369	57,460,736	51,763,861	52,382,087	51,126,081
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	53,684,456	55,537,224	55,410,811	54,707,117	55,765,261
New orders, estimated values of orders received during month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	56,973,771	56,612,930	51,406,640	53,858,311	53,838,931
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	55,843,447	54,691,810	55,063,097	55,599,749	58,376,592
Unfilled orders, estimated values of orders at end of month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	86,870,184	86,022,379	85,665,158	87,141,382	89,854,232
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	87,410,460	86,565,045	86,217,331	87,109,963	89,721,294
Raw materials, fuel, supplies, components, estimated values at end of month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	30,432,184	30,514,797	30,716,560	31,400,907	32,006,772
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	30,633,030	30,753,488	30,844,551	31,189,862	31,588,016
Goods or work in process, estimated values at end of month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	19,939,345	20,423,223	19,013,398	20,055,218	20,741,893
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	19,678,975	19,991,850	19,981,430	20,074,912	20,358,669
Finished goods manufactured, estimated values at end of month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	24,098,367	24,428,464	24,102,058	25,095,343	25,738,810
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	24,491,897	24,636,007	24,760,722	25,132,919	25,463,027
Total inventory, estimated values of total inventory at end of the month	Unadjusted (x 1,000)	74,469,896	75,366,484	73,832,017	76,551,469	78,487,475
	Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)	74,803,902	75,381,345	75,586,703	76,397,694	77,409,712
Ratio of total inventory to sales	Unadjusted	1.35	1.31	1.43	1.46	1.54
	Seasonally adjusted	1.39	1.36	1.36	1.40	1.39
Ratio of finished goods to sales	Unadjusted	0.44	0.43	0.47	0.48	0.50
	Seasonally adjusted	0.46	0.44	0.45	0.46	0.46

Footnotes:

1.

Data for the three months prior to the last month of reference have been revised.

2.

All data up to December 2003 are calibrated to levels from the Annual Survey of Manufactures and Logging (ASML). Starting in January 2004, the data are reconciled with the ASML, but the aggregate industry estimates may be different.

3.

Beginning with reference year 2009, the data are classified by industry based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2012.

4.

With the release on September 19, 2017, the Monthly Survey of Manufacturing (MSM) has published revised estimates. Estimates of sales of goods manufactured, inventories and orders have been revised back to January 2014 for the unadjusted data, and back to January 2012 for the seasonally adjusted data.

Source:  Statistics Canada. Table  304-0014 -  Manufacturers' sales, inventories, orders and inventory to sales ratios, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), Canada, monthly (dollars unless otherwise noted),  CANSIM (database). (accessed: ) 

FULL DOCUMENT: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/180417/dq180417a-eng.pdf

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LGCJ.: