Readout
Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, met in person in Mexico City with Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, Mexico's Secretary of Economy, during the Minister's first visit to Mexico since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Ng thanked Secretary Clouthier for her warm welcome during the Minister's visit to mark the first anniversary of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement's (CUSMA's) coming into force. The Minister and Secretary highlighted the important progress they have made together on effective implementation of CUSMA-the new NAFTA-with a focus on the momentum of labour reform, noting Mexico's important historical leadership, support for small businesses, and creation of trade opportunities for women and Indigenous and racialized communities.
As they had previously discussed, Minister Ng reiterated Canada's ongoing concern with the investment climate in Mexico specifically in energy and mining sectors, but also welcomed the upcoming reopening of the America's Gold and Silver Saint Rafael mine. The ministers highlighted the importance of their open dialogue and the role their close relationship plays in creating opportunities for companies to grow, supporting workers, and fostering jobs in communities across both countries.
As Canada and Mexico work to finish the fight against COVID-19, Minister Ng and Secretary Clouthier agreed to continue working together to build back better through women's economic empowerment and by utilizing the competitive advantage of the countries' interconnected supply chains to build more-inclusive and -sustainable economies.