Canada & The World

1. Canada condemns arrest of political candidates and civil society leaders in Nicaragua

   “Canada joins the Organization of American States, the United Nations, international human rights bodies and members of the international community in condemning the arbitrary arrest of political candidates in Nicaragua.”

2. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Climate Change participate in first meeting of Sustainable Finance Action Council

   The Action Council, chaired by Kathy Bardswick, comprises 25 organizations from Canada’s deposit-taking institutions, insurance companies, and pension funds, which, combined, have more than $10 trillion in assets.

3. The CBSA launches investigations into container chassis from China

   The CBSA launches investigations into container chassis from China

4. Reminder - Media Registration open for International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants

   Canada will host the next International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants on June 17, 2021, in collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and IOM, the International Organization for Migration, co-leads of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V).

5. Media briefing on International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants

   Canada will host the next International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and IOM, the International Organization for Migration, co-leads of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V).

6. Minister Ng reports on APEC trade ministers meeting and highlights Canada’s contribution to the APEC Women and the Economy Sub-Fund

   Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, concluded her participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting. Hosted by New Zealand and championing the theme Join, Work, Grow. Together, the meeting was held virtually on June 4 and 5, 2021.

7. Government of Canada continues fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

   June 5th is the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing poses a serious risk to our global oceans and economy. It threatens the livelihoods of law-abiding fish harvesters and it damages our marine ecosystems, and the countless lifeforms they sustain.

8. Joint statement from the International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752 on notice of claim to Iran

   “We, Ministers representing Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, today (June 3 2021) delivered a notice of our claim against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in relation to the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (PS752).

9. Joint statement from the International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752

   “We, Ministers representing Afghanistan, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, have taken note of the unique situation in Afghanistan that requires its full attention.

10. Canada and CPTPP parties agree to commence accession process with United Kingdom

    The Government of Canada is committed to diversifying trade and investment with key markets around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region, as part of its commitment to supporting a strong, resilient, and inclusive economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

11. Statement to mark International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence; and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement: “Today, we pay tribute to past and present United Nations peacekeepers who put themselves at risk in the service of peace around the world.

12. Minister Ng participates in meeting of G7 trade and investment ministers

    Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, participated in the G7 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting, hosted by Liz Truss, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade.

13. G7 statement on Belarus

    We, the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union condemn in the strongest terms the unprecedented action by the Belarusian authorities in arresting independent journalist, Raman Pratasevich and his companion, Sofia Sopega, after forcing Flight FR4978 on which they were travelling to land in Minsk on 23 May.

14. Minister Ng leads trade and health discussions at meeting of Ottawa Group on WTO reform 

    International collaboration on trade and health issues is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic while ensuring a strong, resilient, and inclusive economic recovery.

15. Media Registration opens for International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants

    May 26, 2021 - Canada will host the next International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants on June 17, 2021, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, co-leads of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela.

16. Statement on Syria’s upcoming presidential elections 

    Canada denounces Syria’s decision to hold presidential elections tomorrow, May 26, amidst ongoing human rights abuses and grave violations of international law perpetrated by the Assad regime.

17. Canada condemns Belarus’s diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978

    “Canada strongly condemns the forced diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978 under false pretenses and the subsequent arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich by Belarus. This reckless, brazen act by the Belarusian regime jeopardized the safety of passengers and constitutes serious interference in the fundamental principles and international rules that ensure civil aviation safety around the world.

18. Statement by Minister Ng on U.S. request for dispute settlement panel on dairy TRQs under CUSMA 

    Canada is a strong proponent of rules-based multilateral trade and believes that international trade will play an important role in the global recovery from COVID-19.

19. Government of Canada announces senior advisor to Global Affairs Canada on Flight PS752 tragedy

    Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that Payam Akhavan, Senior Fellow at Massey College and distinguished visiting professor at the University of Toronto, will join Global Affairs Canada (GAC) as a senior advisor on the department’s ongoing response to the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 tragedy. This appointment concludes a months-long search to best support the expertise and capacity of the department on this critical file.

20. Biographical note

    Payam Akhavan (LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1989; LLM SJD, Harvard Law School, 1990), is a senior fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College and a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, in The Hague.

21. Statement by Minister Ng on U.S. preliminary duty rates on Canadian softwood lumber

    The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, today issued the following statement regarding the second administrative review by the U.S. Department of Commerce of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on certain softwood lumber products from Canada

22. Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks with Russian counterpart at Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting.

23. Minister of Foreign Affairs concludes successful participation in Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Iceland

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today successfully concluded Canada’s participation in the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in Reykjavik, Iceland. Minister Garneau also represented Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) on behalf of the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs.

24. Sustainable Development Working Group

    The Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) was established in 1998 after the inception of the Arctic Council, and is one of six Arctic Council Working Groups.

25. Readout: Minister of Foreign Affairs meets with U.S. Secretary of State on margins of Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting

    Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, on the margins of the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council.

26. Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs on 77th anniversary of deportation of Crimean Tatars

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement: “Seventy-seven years ago, Crimean Tatars were forcibly deported by Soviet authorities from the Crimean Peninsula. The suffering of the Tatars, including hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who were displaced from their ancestral homeland, serves as a sombre, yet powerful, reminder of the injustice that continues to this day.

27. International Partnership against impunity for the use of chemical weapons Statement - Supporting the OPCW upon the delivery of the second IIT report

    We, the participating States of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, stand together to preserve the international standards and norms against the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances.

28. Canada provides additional humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh and continues to promote efforts to find sustainable peace

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, today issued the following statement: “Canada continues to support efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and is deeply committed to addressing its grave humanitarian consequences. Building on Canada’s support provided in the immediate aftermath of the fighting in 2020, we are announcing an additional $1 million to support the efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Nagorno-Karabakh.

29. Statement on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

    On this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, we call for an end to all forms of discrimination, exclusion and violence against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.

30. Canada imposes additional sanctions on individuals and entities affiliated with Armed Forces of Myanmar

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced additional sanctions against 16 individuals and 10 entities under the Special Economic Measures (Burma) Regulations in response to the military’s ongoing brutal repression of the people of Myanmar and their refusal to take steps to restore democracy.

31. Additional Myanmar sanctions

    Effective May 17, 2021, Canada is imposing sanctions against the following individuals and entities in relation to the coup perpetrated by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s armed forces.

32. Statement by Canada Following UN Security Council Session on the devastating violence in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

    Canada is appalled by the ongoing violence, rising tensions, and the devastating loss of life. The toll —particularly on civilians, including women and children — has already been too great. Canada continues to express grave concerns over the escalating violence in Israel, West Bank, and Gaza. Canada joins its allies and friends in urging all parties to take steps to immediately end all violence, prevent further loss of life, protect all civilians, and de-escalate tensions. All parties must uphold international law.

33. Minister Ng begins new trade dialogue with Australia 

    Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, held the first meeting of the Canada-Australia Trade Ministers Dialogue with Dan Tehan, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

34. First Bachelor degrees granted at Royal Military College Saint-Jean since 1995

    Today, the Royal Military College Saint Jean (RMC Saint-Jean) held a historic convocation by granting undergraduate degrees for the first time since 1995. Twelve Officer Cadets received a Bachelor of International Studies after successful completion of their university-level program.

35. Minister Ng to participate in first meeting of Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Free Trade Commission

    The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, will participate in the inaugural meeting of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Free Trade Commission (FTC), hosted by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, on May 17 and 18, 2021. Minister Ng will join Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative, and Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy.

36. Minister Ng speaks with Ibec chief executive officer about Canada-Ireland trade opportunities

    Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, joined Danny McCoy, chief executive officer for Ireland’s largest business representation group, Ibec, for a conversation on how business owners and entrepreneurs on both sides of the Atlantic can start up, scale up, and access new markets as part of the global economic recovery from COVID-19.

37. Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza 

    Canada has been following the situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza with grave concern. We are appalled by the ongoing violence, rising tensions, and loss of life, including children. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and their loved ones.

38. Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance at the Standing Committee on Finance – Study of Bill C-30

    After more than 14 months of uncertainty and hardship, Canadians continue to battle COVID. But we know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

39. Minister Ng to promote Canada-Ireland relations with Ibec CEO

    The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, will participate in a virtual conversation with Danny McCoy, CEO, Ibec on Canada-Ireland trade relations.

40. Minister Ng speaks with U.K. secretary of state for international trade Liz Truss

    Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, spoke with Liz Truss, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade.

41. Minister Ng signs memorandum of understanding with Chile on intellectual property and innovation issues 

    On Thursday, May 6, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and Rodrigo Yáñez, Chile’s Under-Secretary for International Economic Relations, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to foster collaboration on intellectual property (IP) and innovation issues.

42. Canada concerned about persistent violence in Colombia

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:“Canada is deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries in Colombia over the last week.

43. Canada concerned by escalation of tensions in Jerusalem

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement: “Canada is following the situation in Jerusalem closely. We call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and for all sides to avoid any unilateral actions.

44. Minister Ng kicks off 50th-anniversary celebrations of Canada-Germany collaboration in science, technology, and innovation

    Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, joined Anja Karliczek, Germany’s Federal Minister of Education and Research, to celebrate 50 successful years of the Canada-Germany Science and Technology Agreement.

45. Minister Ng speaks with New Zealand counterpart

    Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, met virtually with Damien O’Connor, New Zealand’s Minister for Agriculture and Minister for and Export Growth, Biosecurity, Land Information and Rural Communities.

46. Canada’s increased contributions to the ACT-Accelerator

    A global outbreak requires a global response. Canada has made significant investments to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics are affordable and equitably distributed globally.

47. Minister Ng speaks with Costa Rica’s minister of foreign trade 

    Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and Andrés Valenciano, Minister of Foreign Trade, Costa Rica, met bilaterally for the first time, virtually, and discussed expanding Canada and Costa Rica’s already strong trading relationship.

48. Minister Ng speaks with Indonesia’s Minister of Trade

    Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, spoke with Muhammad Lutfi, Indonesia’s Minister of Trade, to advance trade and investment relations between the 2 countries.

49. Canada to host next International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants

    The number of refugees and migrants leaving Venezuela is increasing daily, making it now the second-largest external displacement crisis in the world, with over 5.6 million individuals having fled the country since 2015. The current global COVID-19 pandemic has compounded an already difficult situation for Venezuelan refugees, migrants and their host communities. Canada is calling on the international community to mobilize much-needed additional resources to help respond to the urgent needs of millions of people.

50. Foreign Affairs Minister and Minister of International Development conclude successful visit to G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in the United Kingdom

    The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, today concluded their participation in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting hosted by the United Kingdom.