Connecting Canadian companies to international markets : Orienter les entreprises canadiennes vers les marchés internationaux : le plan d'action sur les marchés mondiaux et les petites et moyennes entreprises

Canada’s share of the merchandise export market fell from 4.3% in 1990 to 2.5% in 2014.3 In order to assess the federal government’s trade strategy in this changing environment and the impact of that strategy on Canadian companies trading and investing in international markets, or hoping to access them, the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade (the Committee) decided to under [...] In the context of its study of the GMAP, the Committee held hearings in Ottawa from May 2014 to February 2015 in order to learn the views of Canadian stakeholders about the contents of the plan and its desired effects. [...] The action plan is designed to “ensure that all the diplomatic assets of the Government of Canada are harnessed to support the pursuit of commercial success by Canadian companies and investors in key foreign markets, to generate new jobs and new opportunities for workers and families here at home.”4 The GMAP replaces the Global Commerce Strategy, which had been in place since 2007. [...] The average percentage of the value of sales that was the result of exports rose as the size of the business increased. [...] Mark Williams, President, Sunwing Airlines, explained that “open trade agreements that allow Canadian companies to compete on a level playing field with businesses around the world are in the best interests of our country.” As such, he encouraged the government to continue to pursue the GMAP and the liberalization of ATAs through the Blue Sky Policy.