Canada cannot afford to be left behind in the Indo-Pacific

Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, issued the following statement from Seoul, Korea:

Today, as part of his visit to Asia, U.S. President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) with a dozen initial partners representing 40 per cent of the world’s GDP.

Canada was not included, but White House officials have made clear that other countries can apply to join. We urge the Government of Canada to do so immediately so Canadians can participate in the upcoming negotiations.

Our country cannot afford to be left behind while other Indo-Pacific nations cooperate to strengthen their economic resiliency and build a better future for their citizens.