International Trade committee  Our organization would present questions about CETA that are yet to be explored, things like how the agreement will handle rules of origin, product certification, regulations related to business travel for people who are coming back and forth to support these opportunities. I men

International Trade committee  Services are required to boost trade, and we have some valuable services already in Atlantic Canada. Perhaps with CETA, as the demand grows, we'll have an added opportunity to make a case for even more resources here. I would refer to my earlier comment, though, that non-govern

International Trade committee  Thank you very much. How well prepared are small companies? I think obviously it varies by sector and by the individual company. I think most very small firms probably don't even think in terms of.... You mentioned the issue of creating jobs. I don't think their starting point i

International Trade committee  I would concur with that, and perhaps also make reference to the emphasis on continuous improvement as one of our tools towards productivity. It works well.

International Trade committee  I think it's already working in discussions like this. We're improving awareness of our current assets, infrastructure, and opportunities. I mentioned the EUREKA model, CME's program for matching markets. That is there. The final comment I'd make is that there is a big challeng

International Trade committee  I don't think I can say the specific number we would predict. We can look by sector in Nova Scotia and see the areas that will benefit. I know we've had a lot of discussion about the seafood industry, but we've also heard from the authorities at the Port of Halifax that it is a b

International Trade committee  In wood products, we have particle board and strand board. This doesn't sound very exciting, but these are key components in the housing industry. These components currently have a 7% disadvantage, and I know they are manufactured here in Nova Scotia.

International Trade committee  I was referring to the low number of firms that actually export. I think we can conclude that it may not be obvious to firms that by trading and becoming a trading company they will not only gain new business but may exponentially gain new business. We need to demonstrate the

International Trade committee  I do agree. I think there is a huge opportunity there for employers. The graduates are there and the training programs are there, but somehow we're not making the optimal connection. I think that here in Nova Scotia we work very well with the Department of Labour and Advanced E

International Trade committee  No, I don't think so. I'd also like to raise the opportunity of suppliers as well, firms that are in the service industry. I think there are opportunities for those firms as well to become exporters, which traditionally they have not been. With our organization, with CME, we p

International Trade committee  Well, there are many more companies than that. These are the ones that clearly identified as international exporters. Other firms are vibrant and viable, but selling internally.

International Trade committee  There are a number of obstacles, and we can access a few studies that show what the key obstacles are. I think these firms can do it. They're going to need help. They're going to need information.

International Trade committee  Traditionally, the emphasis has been on natural resource-based industries, anything related to the sea, as we mentioned, and wood and wood products. Those industries continue to thrive. I would say one of our growing and important industries relates to aerospace and defence. Ther

International Trade committee  I think it's a question of being risk-adverse and also being educated. One of the things that CETA is opening up for us is the opportunity to talk about some of the issues here today, the questions, the concerns, those that we can address or otherwise. It also allows them to hea

International Trade committee  No, I don't think I've seen that. Clearwater is an exceptional company in many respects, and we're proud to do business with them. I think many of their competitors would like to be on the same level as they are. One trend I do see is in the area of continuous improvement and a