Foreign policy and jobs inseparable

 
By David Kilgour
Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa)
October 1997

In recent years, we have been continually reminded of the trend toward "globalization" -- the tendency for our lives to be affected by events outside Canada's boundaries. It is becoming harder to differentiate between foreign and "international" issues. More and more, the boundaries are blurred. Jobs for Canadians depend on our ability to penetrate global markets, as well as to face competitive challenges from abroad.

For historical reasons, Canadians in the past tended to focus on Europe in its international dealings. More recently, we have turned our attention to the Asia Pacific, a major locus of global economic growth. Today we are becoming even more cosmopolitan, and are also turning our attention elsewhere.

As Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa, I am excited to be dealing with two regions of the globe that are assuming a much greater profile in Canada's international relations. In Latin America, we are solidifying our trading relationship with Mexico under NAFTA. A new bilateral trade agreement is in place with Chile. And we anxiously await further developments with other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that will lead up to the Free Trade Area of the Americas after the year 2005.

African Renaissance?

Africa, which has long been hampered by poverty and political problems, is also assuming a greater importance in Canadian trade -- especially since the end of apartheid in South Africa. Africa was Alberta's fastest growing export market from 1994 to 1995, with, for example, Alberta exports to Africa growing by 68 per cent to $238 million.

Alberta's annual exports alone to Latin American, Caribbean and African countries now exceed three quarters of a billion dollars. The biggest news though is not our current trade, but rather the enormous potential for these exports to grow in coming years. Currently the bulk of exports from Alberta to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean is made up of primary agricultural products, while mining products such as sulphur and coal are that province's leading export to South America. Of Alberta's exports to Mexico in 1995, canola made up 41 per cent.

The export of raw agricultural and mineral products should, of course, be encouraged to continue and grow. But Western Canadians have much more to offer in exports to Latin America and Africa. We are leaders in such areas as petroleum, mining and environmental technologies. We have expertise to sell in telecommunications, transportation, and problem solving in many resource and agricultural-related fields. Already Canadian technology and expertise is making a mark in the region. Together with Trade Minister Sergio March, I’ll be working to expand those opportunities and to assist Canadians in finding new markets.

Micro-credit success

An important focus of this government has been a shifting from aid to trade. That does not mean we will turn our backs on desperate situations. It does mean, however, that our aid programs, wherever practical, will try to encourage recipients to become self sufficient. One example I like to point to is micro-credit programs, some of which are actively supported by CIDA, and which encourage small-scale entrepreneurs by providing them with basic credit to get started. Such programs have been tried in Canada and other parts of the world, and usually they have very high rates of repayment.

In taking Canadian products, services and technologies to Latin America and Africa, we mustn’t stop at business. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Canada and abroad have developed technologies and expertise that can be tapped to encourage the success of Canadian exports.

In our drive to promote exports, Canadians cannot ignore the human side. Stability is necessary for trade to flourish. Genuine security cannot exist where fundamental human rights are ignored or trampled. In the past decade, Latin America has made enormous strides in moving toward rule by elected civilian governments, and providing a greater role for civil society. The challenges in Africa are greater, but progress has also been achieved there, even though there have been setbacks in some countries. Canada has been actively encouraging respect for human rights, both through bilateral agreements and multilaterally through organizations such as the Organization of American States and the Commonwealth.

Canadians have said repeatedly that employment is a dominant issue. In an increasingly global economy, foreign policy and jobs policy are inseparable. Even for those whose jobs are not directly related to exports, economic success indirectly affects their prosperity. The lives of Canadians are now intertwined with those of Latin Americans and Africans to an extent few of us might have previously imagined.