In 2009 ICCC organised on behalf of the European Union a series of events to showcase the relationship between the EU and Western Canada. Half‐day workshops were held in Winnipeg on June 8th, in Regina on June 9th and in Edmonton on June 12th. A one‐day conference was held in Vancouver on June 15th.
The workshops and conferences focussed on timely topics discussed by high‐profile expert speakers. They were well attended and promoted dialogue and debate among participants. However, notwithstanding these extensive outreach activities and their successful outcomes, the percentage of representatives of the business community and civil society engaged by this initiative was, of necessity, extremely limited. A recurrent theme in participant feedback was the surprising revelation of the dimensions of the EU‐Canada relationship and the as yet untapped potential in many areas for businesses in Western Canada. Participants indicated a desire to become more involved and to stay in the information loop regarding EU‐Canada initiatives. They wished to be apprised of developments regarding the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) and to have a voice in issues that had a bearing or potential impact on their own sphere of operation.
One of the major themes to emerge from the Conference, emphasized by both the EU and Canadian Chief Negotiators of CETA currently under negotiation, is the key role of the business community in ensuring the successful outcome of the negotiations. Steve Verheul, Canadian Chief Negotiator, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, underlined the importance for Canada to find out what its businesses want and need from the trade with Europe while Mauro Petriccione, EU Chief Negotiator, spoke of the changing attitudes of the Canadian provinces and the critical role they would play in developing a new trade agreement.
