When I speak about diversifying markets for Canadian exporters, it has been Canada's tradition to have as its first priority, its preferred outcome, a multilateral agreement, and therefore we have always put the priority on the WTO. We were one of the most aggressive and effective countries with respect to the establishment of the WTO in 1995 because we see that as very much in our interest. The WTO is our FTA with most of the world. It provides for predictable and transparent rules, and most especially it provides for independent arbitration of disputes.
However, with regret, it has not been possible after ten years to make progress to come to a conclusion in the current round of negotiations, the so-called Doha round, and we unfortunately do not predict success any time soon. In that context, Canada found itself to be losing ground to other traders who are more involved in a bilateral set of negotiations and in the government's trade policy strategy, which is called the global commerce strategy. It's now in the fourth year of a five-year plan. It's on the website if you can't get to sleep one evening.
Basically it describes what I've just said and comes to the conclusion that Canada should stop falling behind other countries and get active in the bilateral game. This is not to say that we have less of a priority on the WTO and on multilateral trade and trade agreements. If there is any prospect for advancement in Geneva on those negotiations, Canada will be there, but in the meantime the government decided to significantly increase its effort and its resources in bilateral negotiations and to catch up.