Yes, it's a natural progression. I believe that Ms. Anderson mentioned that 95% of the trade accelerator program graduate companies in Vancouver start by tackling the States. Then as they grow their business, they start to look to foreign markets further afield.
I mentioned the example of Core LED. They did the same thing. They were a domestic organization. They looked to the States and as their business grew they said, “We can do this around the world.”
Many of our companies do that and we need to encourage them and support them in that growth in the U.S., as well as internationally.
Our other mandate is to try to diversify to some of those other markets and some of the ways we need to do it....
I believe procurement was mentioned. Also, all companies within the EU are now allowed to bid on contracts that are procured by municipalities at every level of government in Canada. Our companies are allowed to do the same in Europe.
The challenge is the European companies are looking here and we're not looking quickly enough there, so we're going to increase our competition here without taking advantage of these opportunities there.
My suggestion would be that the government needs to help organizations like ours and others, like all of you at the table, to encourage those businesses to look in those countries and—