Good morning, everyone.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade is undertaking a study examining the opportunities and the challenges Canadian businesses face in a number of regions around the world. In particular, the committee is interested in markets where two-way trade and investment flows with Canada may be underdeveloped currently and have the potential for strong future growth. The committee is specifically interested in identifying and removing the obstacles that stand in the way of stronger economic ties with those markets. What can the Government of Canada do to help Canadian businesses take better advantage of trade, investment, and other international business opportunities in these regions?
Today, we will be receiving evidence from Statistics Canada, from the Canada Border Services Agency, and from DFAIT. The purpose of the meeting today is to understand how trade statistics are gathered, analyzed, and used in the context of international trade, especially for us, in planning future trade strategies.
We have today with us, as witnesses: Mr. Craig Kuntz, director of international trade with Statistics Canada; Art Ridgeway, director of balance of payments at Statistics Canada; Raymond Bédard, director of the partnerships division, admissibility branch, with the Canada Border Services Agency; and Anthony Burger, chief economist, office of the chief economist at DFAIT; and Dan Ciuriak....
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