I am delighted to be here with the Canadian delegation at the World Road Congress, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

The Canadian companies represented at this Congress work in all areas of road transport.

By nature, they are competitive.

But they also want to share their knowledge, their expertise — and their prosperity.

Canada is a trading nation.

In fact, the current growth in our exports to Europe is exceptional — in 2006, the export of goods to the European Union increased 16.2 per cent, to 33.6 billion dollars.

Recognizing the importance of international trade to the Canadian economy, the Government of Canada is building on existing strengths to enhance trade activities by investing in our international gateways and strategic trade corridors.

For instance, the Government of Canada has now committed over $1 billion for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative in an effort to facilitate our trading relationships with China and other Asian partners.

As well, the 2007 federal budget announced a new $2.1-billion national fund for gateways and border crossings that will be used to develop gateway strategies in other regions in Canada, with a view to improving the efficiency of Canada’s trade flows and supply chains with the European Union.

We’ve also invested unprecedented amounts of money for infrastructure through our Building Canada fund.

Worth $33 billion between 2007 and 2014, “Building Canada” provides more funding for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure, and for a longer period of time than any federal government since World War II.

While all of you here are working to acquire and sell innovative solutions, create partnerships, and develop markets, the Government of Canada and its partners are working to develop the necessary policies and legislation to facilitate and enhance your relationships – the conditions for everyone’s success.

Canada has every intention of working with our international partners in the future to market and promote our gateways abroad as efficient entry and exit points to and from the North American market.

On behalf of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the provincial ministers, Canadian companies and the Canadian delegation, I would like to say that we are very pleased to be here with you in Paris and we are grateful that you agreed to join us.

I know that this meeting will be beneficial for us all; that is why I would like to make a toast, trusting that your presence with us this evening will strengthen the ties that unite us.