28 August 2007

Prime Minister Stephen Harper to visit Australia and participate in the APEC Leaders' Summit

The following is excerpted from the 27 August 2007 news release from the Office of Prime Minister

Prime Minister Stephen Harper … announced that he will attend the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting, which will take place September 8 and 9, 2007, in Sydney, Australia.

APEC Leaders will work to address climate change and energy security, trade facilitation and investment liberalization, strengthen economic reform and technical cooperation, and promote a secure and favourable business environment. The Prime Minister will also participate in the APEC Business Summit where he will deliver remarks on energy, climate change and growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Following the APEC meetings, Prime Minister Harper will then proceed with an official visit to Australia on September 10 and 11. He will meet with Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Canberra and will deliver an address to a joint session of the Australian Parliament.

International Trade Minister David Emerson and Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier will precede the Prime Minister in Sydney, where they will attend the APEC Ministerial Meeting September 5 and 6, 2007.

APEC, which has 21 members, is the most important forum for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Its members account for 56% of world GDP, 41% of world population and 43% of world imports and 45% of world exports. It brings together four of Canada’s top five trading partners from both sides of the Pacific and works to facilitate trade and investment in the region.

Canada and Australia enjoy a strong and growing bilateral relationship and cooperate on a range of issues such as health, transportation, defence and security, counterterrorism, counter proliferation, climate change and energy.