At the end of 2020, Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade of Canada, met Franck Riester, Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, and evoked the idea of a joint effort to boost trade between their two countries. Three months later, the virtual trade mission was launched. It took place from March 29 to April 1.
Canada and France, bound by the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union, have much more in common than this document. Beyond their historical relationship, Paris and Ottawa share the ambition to act against global warming, first within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement and today, within that of economic recovery. Which will have to be green and inclusive to be sustainable.
Some 250 Canadian companies, including 36% majority women-owned, 23% start-ups, 21% visible minority-owned, 3% Native American and 2% LGBTQ-owned, participated in this next generation trade mission. Much more, in fact, than if it had been a field exploration... "Probably because it was easier to participate, women were much better represented during this virtual mission", notes in this regard the Ambassador of Canada to France, Isabelle Hudon.
As a result, interactive workshops to understand the French market and become familiar with CETA, others to learn the language with around 25 French companies who came to explain to their Canadian counterparts the economic opportunities in France. Information technologies, sustainable mobility, hydrogen, responsible goods and sustainable consumption are all fields of action, in the form of imports, investments and collaboration, which have been explored under the leadership of the Canadian Minister, the Canadian Ambassador to France and Franck Riester. Mary Ng also met Cédric O, Secretary of State for the Digital Transition, with whom she discussed actions to be taken to boost trade between France and Canada in the sustainable technology sector.
Of course, once these initial contacts have been established, the commercial services of the Embassy of Canada in France will follow up to ensure that they lead to concrete actions and contracts. "According to my experience - I did the same exercise in South Korea, for example - three months later, the first contracts were on the right track", underlines Mary Ng.
The 25 commercial advisers (half Canadian, half French) from the Embassy of Canada in France will therefore take charge of this second phase, in the form of B to B meetings. are interested in the Canadian offer. Among other things, Michelin wants to further explore Canadian technologies for producing clean hydrogen, and the city of Nevers, which is concerned about new urban mobility, appreciated the two electric wheels of the Quebec company Geebee.
