Harper Government creating export opportunities for Canadian business women

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May 16, 2015, 10:00 ET

LABOUR AND STATUS OF WOMEN MINISTER KELLIE LEITCH LEADS FIRST-EVER WOMEN'S TRADE MISSION TO SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

OTTAWA, May 16, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Canada's Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, on behalf of the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, will lead a trade mission of Canadian business women to São Paulo, Brazil between May 17-20, 2015.

This multi-sector trade mission to Brazil will help women-led Canadian businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), take advantage of the opportunities available to them in one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Trade missions open doors, facilitate business-to-business contacts, and provide on-the-ground support for Canadians looking to expand their companies globally.

The Harper Government is committed to supporting companies as they seek to boost their exports, creating long-term prosperity for all Canadians. Trade missions are just one of the tools available under Canada's Global Markets Action Plan (GMAP), the government's blueprint for creating jobs and economic growth through exports, to help Canadian businesses succeed in foreign markets.

Women exporters can also count on the support of the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) - including the Business Women in International Trade program and Canada's trade promotion agencies: Export Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada and the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

While in São Paulo, Minister Leitch also participated in the 2015 Global Summit of Women. At the Summit, she led a panel of her international counterparts focussing on improving women's economic prosperity.

Minister Leitch will be joined by :

Rosemary Chapdelaine, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Canada
Carolyn Cross, Chairman and CEO, Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Janice McDonald, President, The Beacon Agency
Susan Schafers, Owner, STS Farms Ltd.
Dr. Leslie Scott, Chief of the Division of Paediatric Surgery Associate Professor, Western University, Schulich School of Medicine
Dr. Anne Snowdon, Academic Chair, Ivey International Centre for Health Innovation
Carol Stewart, Founding Director and Immediate Past President–Association University Research Parks, University of Waterloo
Margaret Stuart, Vice President, Inside BlackBerry Business Blog

Quick Facts

Majority women-owned SMEs generate over $117 billion annually of economic activity in Canada.
In 2014, women represented 47.2% of the labour force, up from 45.7% in 1999 and 37.1% in 1976.
Women-owned businesses currently employ over 1.5 million Canadians.
In 2014, two-way trade between Canada and Brazil was worth over $5.6 billion dollars.
Brazil is the seventh largest economy in the world and the largest in Latin America.

Quotes

"Our Government's number one priority is creating jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity. That's why I am pleased to lead this trade mission to Brazil that will generate real economic opportunities for women-led businesses here in Canada and open the door to a world of opportunity for Canadian-owned enterprises."

The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, P.C., O.Ont., M.P.
Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

"I applaud women entrepreneurs for their contribution to creating jobs and opportunities for all Canadians. This trade mission to Brazil is part of Canada's ambitious pro-export, pro-jobs plan to create growth and prosperity for all Canadians. Our government is committed to supporting companies as they seek to boost their exports, and trade missions are just one of the tools we are providing to help Canadians succeed."

The Honourable Ed Fast, P.C., M.P.
Minister of International Trade

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SOURCE Status of Women Canada