Premier Roy Romanow says his goal on the current Team Canada trade mission is to expand trade in a region Saskatchewan has not concentrated on in the past.
“I think that there has been, generally, a view that our trade is with China and Japan and only recently has there been a concern about South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and the like,” he told reporters prior to his departure last week.
“We have some areas where we need to do much more. This is one of them.”
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The two-week trip to South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines is being led by prime minister Jean Chretien. The delegation includes all premiers and territorial leaders, except Prince Edward Island’s premier, and private business representatives.
Review tariff structure
Romanow said several deals or agreements will be signed there, but the benefits come over the long term. At one of his first stops, Romanow met with Korean president Kim Young-sam to encourage the continuing review of Korea’s agriculture tariff structure. Current regulations, for example, favor the import of raw canola rather than processed products.
The premier would like to see the province’s trade expand past bulk commodities like wheat, potash and uranium.
“We need to make sure while we preserve the natural resource export trade that we can develop niche markets in value-added, diversified, research, high-tech trade.
“My mission is to open up as many opportunities and doors as I can for our Saskatchewan businesses in those areas where we know we can do the job – agriculture, ag biotechnology, mining, mining technology, farm machinery implement manufacturing, university contact with the veterinary college and medicine for animals and the like. Then I think you see the fruits of this visit come about over the years and the months ahead.”
The mission is the third led by Chretien. In 1994, Team Canada visited China, and last year the trip was to India.
The federal government estimates the trips have resulted in 370 business deals worth $20 billion.
The participants include nine Saskatchewan companies and agencies, 38 from Alberta, 84 from B.C. and 12 from Manitoba.
