Thank you, Chair.
I do also want to start by welcoming our witnesses and thanking them for taking time out of their busy schedules to come share their thoughts with us today.
As everyone in this room is well aware, Canada is a trading nation and one in five jobs and 60% of our GDP are linked to exports. As trade increases so does our nation's prosperity. It is therefore quite essential that we take steps to remove barriers to trade and that we assist our businesses both large and small to compete in the global economy.
In our recent budget the government announced the creation of an export market development program, which will work with small and medium-sized enterprises as they explore and pursue new export opportunities. The program would provide a total of $50 million over five years in direct financial assistance to entrepreneurs seeking to export to emerging markets for the first time. The idea is that the program will assist with participation in trade fairs, missions, and market research.
In your opinion, will a program such as this one help Canadian entrepreneurs manage the cost of international expansion? Could you please say something about that?