Remarks by The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry

February 23, 2007
Ottawa, ON

I am also very pleased to be here, and to have had the opportunity to have a very fruitful working meeting with my colleagues from the United States and Mexico.

I would like to tell you that the meeting was extremely productive. We were able to concentrate our efforts on issues which are important to the lives of all Canadians and citizens of the United States and Mexico. To ensure that we have efficient regulations, ones which don't cause too many difficulties to businessmen in our countries, and to have borders which are secure but which also allow for the flow of goods in an efficient manner.

We also heard and officially received the report from the working group of the North American Competitiveness Council. This is a very interesting report for us. It's a report which is meaningful, because it gives us a number of recommendations and is highly concentrated on a number of issues that we are going to be working on together in order to achieve our goals and prepare for the meeting of the Heads of State later on this summer. I would also like to thank the members of the council for having untaken this work, which is of unprecedented usefulness for us. And I can assure you that together we will be working on it in order to reach the goals and objectives set therein.

I also would like to say that Canada, as you well know, is going to be the host of the next meeting of leaders next August. And I would also like to thank the hard work done by those who participated in this meeting, both my colleagues and those from the private sector, who produced very useful work.

Thank you.