February 4, 2013

Edmonton… Three days of intensive meetings have provided greater focus on how Alberta can improve trade in the Asian market.

The 12-member Asia Advisory Council ^[1] met with industry representatives from sectors including energy, forestry, agriculture and education in Calgary January 29 to February 1 to discuss Alberta’s Asia-specific initiatives.

The council also met with the Managing Directors of Alberta’s International Offices in Asia to discuss the offices’ current activities as part of its information-gathering process. The Asia Advisory Council wrapped up three days of meetings with a discussion with Alberta Premier Alison Redford.

“The Asia Advisory Council will be integral to our success in finding new pathways for our energy, agricultural, technological, cultural goods and expertise into one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” said Cal Dallas, Alberta’s Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.” said Cal Dallas, Alberta’s Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

The council’s efforts complement work led by Premier Redford to bolster new market access, trade and investment with key markets around the world. Accessing new markets remains Alberta’s most critical economic priority.

Based on the feedback received, the council identified three priority outcomes:

• enhance public awareness of the importance of expanding market access to Asia;
• work with government and industry to set hard targets for trade and investment, work on strategies to create more opportunities for Alberta’s small and medium sized enterprises doing business in Asia and for Alberta students to study abroad; and
• help complement the Government of Alberta’s advocacy efforts to create new access to Asian markets.

“A recurring theme in our discussions is the need to improve Albertans’ Asian literacy and review how government supports business as we aggressively pursue expanded market access in Asia,” said International and Intergovernmental Relations Associate Minister Teresa Woo-Paw, who chairs the AAC.

“To fully embrace the opportunities in Asia, all levels of government and industry must collaborate to remove the domestic and international barriers that exist, and work collectively to build diversified export markets,” said Tom Walter, the Vice Chair of the Asia Advisory Council.

More findings from the council meetings are available on their website at http://www.international.alberta.ca/aac.cfm ^[1].