APPENDIX A

Speaking points prepared by the Library of Parliament
for The Honourable Joseph A. Day, Senator
Co-Leader of the Canadian Delegation

Economic and trade cooperation in the context of economic recovery
for sustainable development

·        In general, sustainable development refers to the integration of environmental, economic and social goals in order to meet current and future needs. Economic prosperity is a key component of sustainable development.

·        The financial and economic crisis that started in 2008 has exposed weaknesses in the financial system and financial regulation in many countries; has pushed many governments back into (or further into) deficit; and has led to significant job losses, threatening to force millions of people back into poverty.

·        Global trade dropped by 12% in 2009 as a result of the economic crisis but that the volume of trade is estimated to grow by 9.5% in 2010. The trade collapse had a devastating effect on many of the Least Developing Countries (LCD), which depended on only a few export products and markets.

·        In the last two years, global cooperation to progress toward economic recovery has been the topic in various international fora including the G8 and G20 meetings. While many solutions brought forward, such as improved regulations, strengthening corporate governance and fostering innovation are domestic in nature, there is room for cooperation between countries in the area of multilateral trade.

·        Many observers have mentioned the importance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) system for the global economic recovery. Analyses have shown that LDCs, who were members of the WTO, were recovering from the crisis more rapidly than those who were not.

·        Because of the WTO discipline, WTO members were aware of the actions they were allowed to implement to foster their economic recovery. In addition, the WTO monitoring reports gave countries the opportunity to know what actions were being implemented elsewhere and also kept the spotlight on the various economic measures. In order to maintain the economic stimulus, the WTO has suggested that countries need to reduce protectionist measures and emphasize trade finances.

·        The Aid for Trade (AFT) initiative was launched at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2005. AFT is about helping developing countries, in particular the least developed, to build the trade capacity and infrastructure they need to benefit from trade opening. It is recognized as a complement to the Doha Development Agenda, which provides the framework for the current round of multilateral trade negotiations.

·        OECD data show that, since 2005, AFT resources have grown annually by approximately 10%. In 2008, trade-related Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments amounted to US$41.7 billion. The economic crisis did not affect AFT pledges as they have increased at a higher rate than other types of development assistance. The WTO has confirmed that 90% of the 2007 pledges were spent.

·        Canada is actively engaged in AFT at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. Canada’s AFT expenditure in financial year 2007–2008 was C$500 million, up from C$465 million in 2006–2007 representing approximately 17% of Canadian International Development Agency’s total aid.

Environment, pandemic diseases and natural disasters

·        As population and economies grow, the environmental carrying capacity of regions in the Asia Pacific is being pushed to the limits.

·        As environmental carrying capacity becomes overloaded, remaining high levels of poverty make the peoples of these regions highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including pandemics, and decreases their resilience.

·        Climate change will increase the likelihood of weather-related natural disasters.

·        This summer we have already seen the vulnerability of food supplies to droughts, and impoverished peoples to floods. As Hurricane Katrina showed however, even countries and regions with large capacities can remain vulnerable to large scale disasters.

·        Such major weather-related events will increase in a warming world.

·        Climate change may also increase the spread of infectious disease, though this is an area of scientific controversy.

·        One response must be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it is clear that the pace of international negotiations is slow, commitments to reduce emissions are inadequate and some warming is inevitable. Adaptation to climate change must therefore also occur. However, greater urgency must be given to efforts to reduce emissions.

·        The International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC Davos 2010 noted that

[t]he Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and China, or the recent landslides in Uganda are examples of large scale natural hazards that have revealed the existent gaps in disaster preparedness, disaster response and disaster recovery worldwide.[1]

To this list we can add the horrible floods in Pakistan.

·        Evidence presented at the IDRC Davos 2010 showed that “poverty, famine, diseases, lack of education, forced migration and under development pose clear risks to society and undermine its resilience.”[2]

·        Assessing and responding to these multiple, interrelated risks cannot be done individually but requires an integrated approach to risk management.

·        The need for integrated risk management is widely recognised, but it has been difficult to implement. Greater effort is urgently needed to move from theory to action.

Parliamentary cooperation between observer and member countries of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly

·        Canada attaches great importance to parliamentary cooperation in its international relations. We have a well-established system of parliamentary associations and inter‑parliamentary groups and we greatly value our participation as an observer in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

·        Although we are an observer country in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, we do not consider that the value of our participation in the forum is in any way diminished by this role. As an observer, Canada acquires valuable knowledge of the region, and in turn, Canada shares its experiences on issues of common interest.

·        My colleagues and I look forward to the opportunities to meet with our parliamentary counterparts from Southeast Asia. With these annual meetings, were are presented with a unique forum for keeping abreast of events in the region and maintaining personal contacts with our parliamentary colleagues from the region. The relationship that we develop through these contacts is critical to maintaining healthy relations between our countries.

·        Parliamentary visits have a crucial role to play in encouraging cooperation between our countries. Meeting our counterparts from other countries plays an on-going part in the work of Canadian parliamentarians to understand issues and influence government policy. They enable us to play a critical role that complements and enhances diplomatic initiatives undertaken by our government, and strengthen our ties to the region.

·        The Southeast Asian region is becoming increasingly important to Canada. In addition to being a growing source of immigration to Canada, the region has also become a leading trading partner.

·        This increased exchange of people, goods, and services between Canada and the countries of Southeast Asia has led to increased cooperation in a whole range of areas.

·        We continue to work collaboratively in areas of common interest including the areas that have been the focus of the dialogue sessions at this gathering. These are: security, both regional and global; economic trade and cooperation to stimulate economic recovery for sustainable development; the environment; and pandemic diseases and natural disasters.

·        As parliamentarians, we continue to play key roles in advancing these common interests domestically and in international forums. Through parliamentary forums such as this one we gain first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by our respective countries in these areas, and, as parliamentarians who are directly connected to the individuals affected by these challenges (our constituents), we are uniquely positioned to propose solutions to these challenges.

·        It has been a pleasure to have had the opportunity to participate in this forum and my colleagues and I look forward to future collaborative endeavours.

Regional and Global Security

·        Canada has increasingly come to think of itself as a Pacific nation.

·        Trade with the Asia Pacific region has become an important factor in Canada’s overall economic well-being.

·        As well, Asia has become the major source of immigration to Canada, replacing the traditional European source countries.

·        Canada therefore has a strong interest in a stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific region.

·        Today, regional security concerns can quickly become matters of global concern.

·        Economic refugees wanting to better their lives, terrorism, the loss of intellectual capital on the part of developing states, economic stagnation and decline, internecine strife, and so on, are all matters of concern.

·        In the “global village,” the consequences of these problems do not necessarily remain local.

·        As US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently noted at the Shangri-La Dialogue:

… it is important to remember that the success this region has enjoyed over the past several decades – its unprecedented economic growth and political development – was not a foregone conclusion. Rather it was enabled by clear choices about the enduring principles that we all believe are essential to peace, prosperity, and stability. These include our commitment to free and open commerce, a just international order that emphasises rights and responsibilities of nations and fidelity to the rule of law, open access by all to the global commons of sea, air, space, and now, cyberspace, and the principle of resolving conflict without the use of force.

·        It is because of our belief in these principles that we have adopted a discourse informed by a broader and more subtle set of concepts than previously possible.

·        Today, we speak of human security, capacity building, the sanctity of the individual, multilateralism, and the need to hold the authority of states themselves accountable.

·        Pursuing our common interests has increased our common security.

·        The Asia-Pacific region still faces significant challenges.

·        These include the rise of new powers and failing states, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and extremist violence.

·        These challenges can best be met if we work together – cooperatively.

·        Failure to do so will mean that we will all bear the costs of that failure. Success will mean that we will all reap the benefits.