CAFTA Conference Notice

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is hosting an International Trade Conference, "The Way Forward", at the Executive Royal Inn in Calgary on Friday October 19, 2001.

Trade Ministers from WTO member countries will soon be meeting in Doha, Qatar. Hopes are that the Ministers will launch a more comprehensive round of world trade negotiations. In the meantime, agriculture negotiations have entered their second year. Negotiators from WTO countries are discussing, debating and analyzing more than 40 negotiating proposals as they work towards a new agreement to govern international agricultural trade.

Canada has played a leading role in the agriculture negotiations. Our country was among the first to submit a negotiating position, and has submitted proposals on each of the major issues: market access, export competition and domestic support.

"The Way Forward" will give participants the opportunity to hear from and dialogue with Canada's Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Suzanne Vinet. The keynote speaker is Carmel Cahill of the Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Directorate, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Paris. Other speakers include Alberta's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Shirley McLellan; a panel of international representatives; and a comprehensive panel of Canadian industry representatives. The Canadian sugar industry perspective on sugar and sugar containing products trade will be included on the panel. The industry supports the WTO as the only reasonable prospect of liberalizing global sugar trade and providing meaningful export opportunities for Canadian sugar producers, processors and refiners.

For more information on the conference visit the CAFTA website, or call CAFTA at (613) 560-0500.

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is national coalition of associations, organizations and companies representing producers and processors, that advocates the liberalization of agri-food markets.