During his opening speech, Viktor Zubkov said, in part:
“Today’s meeting is of particular significance. The previous, seventh, Commission meeting took place in summer 2009 when our countries, like the rest of the world, were feeling the impact of the global financial-economic crisis. Nevertheless, the work conducted by the Russian and Canadian sides, including that carried out under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Economic Commission, made it possible to reduce the negative impact of the crisis on our relations and to quickly restore the steady pace of their development. Our bilateral trade, which dwindled to $1.7 billion in 2009, rebounded to a record-breaking pre-crisis $2.6 billion in 2010. Russian exports stood at $1.1 billion, with imports from Canada at $1.5 billion. Bilateral trade grew by 31% in the first quarter of 2011.
“It should be noted that, despite its negative consequences, the economic crisis also enabled us to understand that countries aiming to create a modern economy and avoid similar upheavals in the future must switch to the innovative development model. Indicatively, the Russian and Canadian governments’ post-crisis economic priorities coincide in many areas. This includes innovative economic modernisation, incentivising research and development, attracting foreign investors and highly skilled specialists into key economic sectors, and foreign trade diversification. Consequently, we hope to reach a consensus with our Canadian partners on the economic modernisation agenda.
“It is pleasing to note that, as the Russian economy grows, Canadian companies are becoming increasingly interested in high-priority areas of modernisation, outlined by President Dmitry Medvedev. Accordingly, several new avenues for Russian-Canadian business cooperation are emerging, and cooperation in these areas may catalyse modernisation processes.
“Cooperation on energy-efficiency is now one of the most important issues. The Commission’s fuel and energy working group is drafting a road map for Russian-Canadian cooperation on energy-efficiency and renewable energy sources. It is most important that this document, and the cooperation memorandum between the Ministry of Energy and Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources, are signed as soon as possible because they will serve as the foundations for expanded bilateral cooperation on these issues.
“Nanotechnology cooperation continues to make headway. In September 2010, RUSNANO and VentureLink Funds signed a memorandum of understanding on the creation of a venture fund in Canada. It will be used to create new materials and develop new nanotechnology-based ways of producing them. In March 2011, RUSNANO approved its involvement in Canada’s Pangaea Ventures Fund III. We believe that these projects are a major, albeit initial, step during long-term cooperation in this area.
“The Russian side values the interest that Canadian companies and organisations have shown in the creation of the Skolkovo international innovation hub. The involvement of leading companies such as Research in Motion and EMS among others will benefit all project participants in the long-term.
“Bilateral cooperation in space technology has been noticeably invigorated of late. In October 2009, Canada’s MDA Corporation and Russia’s Radio Research Institute signed a contract for the development and shipment of payload modules for the Express-AM5 and Express-AM6 spacecraft, due to be launched in 2012. This contract is currently being fulfilled. Russia’s Federal Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency are in talks to sign a cooperation agreement on peaceful space exploration. The Intergovernmental Commission’s working group on space is meeting for the first time today.
“The success of yesterday’s Canada-Russia Agribusiness Forum, in Ottawa, confirms both sides’ serious interest in expanding agro-industrial cooperation. This sector plays an important role in Russian-Canadian relations. The Russian side is interested in using Canadian experience and technologies from the pedigree livestock breeding sector, which was the focal issue at this recent forum, as well as other areas, from the grain sector to the manufacture of farm machinery. The acquisition of the Canadian firm Ezee-On Manufacturing Limited by Russia’s Rostselmash is one recent example of this kind of cooperation. During yesterday’s talks with Canada’s Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz we discussed the possibility of drafting a separate long-term programme for Russian-Canadian agro-industrial cooperation.
“The two sides continue to cooperate in the mining sector, where bilateral ties are traditionally strong. A meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission’s Working Group on mining issues took place in Toronto on March 8. During it, the two sides discussed issues related to the sector’s strategic development and its legal regulation. Canada’s largest mining company, Kinross Gold, became the first foreign investor to obtain a permission from the Russian Government Commission for the 100% acquisition of a strategic mining asset, namely, the Dvoinoye gold deposit and the Vodorazdelnaya gold property in the Chukotka Autonomous Area.
“Cooperation is also developing apace in the automotive sector: the Magna concern is increasing the number of plants it has in Russia. The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Federal Housing Construction Promotion Fund and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is an important step to expand cooperation in the construction sector. This will undoubtedly boost Russian-Canadian relations in building affordable housing using the latest technology.
“Expanded Russian-Canadian cooperation in the North and the Arctic deserves a separate mention. Russian and Canadian experts are involved in an ongoing dialogue on a broad range of issues. In late May, Ottawa hosted the international conference "Canada/ Russia/ Norway: Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arctic" and a meeting of the Intergovernmental
Economic Commission’s Arctic and North working group.
“The sides discussed specific approaches towards development in these northern regions, touching on a wide variety of areas, including telecommunications, the construction sector, agriculture, development avenues for indigenous ethnic groups, environmental protection and tourism. Recently, our two countries have been exploring the possibility of creating air and maritime transport bridges between the northern regions of Russia and Canada. This would considerably expand the opportunities for two-way traffic and would also tap into these countries’ unparalleled transit potential from Eurasia to the Americas. Discussion of the North Air Bridge and Arctic Bridge projects will continue at today’s meeting.
“The active involvement of Russian regions and Canadian provinces in cooperation between our two countries is an essential element of implementing the initiatives and projects I have just mentioned. Inter-regional dialogue has recently intensified: Moscow and the Leningrad Region have signed memorandums with the Province of Quebec, the Krasnodar Territory has signed a memorandum with the Province of British Columbia, and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area has signed a memorandum with the Province of Alberta. All this symbolises the regions’ striving for long-term cooperation and provides substantial support for expanding the full range of ties between Russia and Canada.
“To conclude, I would like to express my confidence that the Commission’s working groups and round table discussions, that will be held after the plenary meeting, will take place in a constructive atmosphere and will be able to create an environment that will see Russian-Canadian relations rise to a new level.”