The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, today issued the following statement:
“The dispute settlement system of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is key to providing the stability businesses need for rules-based international trade.
“The WTO’s rules provide predictability to businesses, and help foster economic growth and prosperity as a result. By addressing the challenges businesses face in trading abroad, the WTO makes it easier for those businesses to thrive and create well-paying, middle-class jobs.
“Through the Ottawa Group, Canada has been leading efforts among like-minded partners to preserve a rules-based settlement system until the full functions of the WTO Appellate Body can be restored. The Canada-European Union interim bilateral agreement is just one example of Canadian leadership to preserve rules-based international trade.
“Canada will continue to work with all WTO members to resolve the Appellate Body impasse, to strengthen the dispute settlement system and to engage with other WTO members on interim appeal arbitration arrangements. We must modernize the WTO through meaningful reforms so it can continue to foster global trade and prosperity for generations to come.”
