Posted on 09 June 2009
OTTAWA (June 9, 2009) – Today, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade tabled its report Study on the 2008 Legislative Review of Export Development Canada (EDC) and has made nine recommendations to the Government of Canada that the Committee believes will improve EDC’s operations and the future competitiveness of Canada’s exporters.
These include a recommendation that the EDC, if needed, continue to play a role in the short-term export credit insurance market. The committee also recommends that the Government of Canada, within a two-year period, report on the experiences of EDC in the domestic credit market and evaluate the continued need for its presence.
“We’re convinced that the short-term additional measures and resources granted to EDC in recent months are critical in order to ensure that Canada’s businesses remain competitive,” says Senator Consiglio Di Nino, Chair of the committee.
“Overall, the committee believes that EDC is performing in accordance with its mandate,” says Senator Peter Stollery, Deputy Chair of the committee. “EDC is advancing the interests of Canadian businesses, as it is meant to do. This is a challenging time economically, and we believe that Canadian businesses are positioned to emerge from the current global slowdown in a strong position.”
Members of the committee include Senators:
Raynell Andreychuk (Saskatchewan); Eymard G. Corbin (Grand-Sault - New Brunswick); Dennis Dawson (Lauzon - Quebec); Pierre De Bané, P.C. (De la Vallière - Quebec); Consiglio Di Nino (Ontario), Chair of the Committee, Percy Downe (Charlottetown - Prince Edward Island); Suzanne Fortin-Duplessis (Rougemont – Quebec); Jerahmiel S. Grafstein (Metro Toronto - Ontario); Frank W. Mahovlich (Toronto - Ontario); Hugh Segal (Kingston-Frontenac-Leeds - Ontario); Peter A. Stollery (Bloor and Yonge - Ontario), Deputy Chair; Pamela Wallin (Saskatchewan)
For more information on the Committee, please visit: http://senate-senat.ca/foraffetrang-e.asp
Karen Schwinghamer
Senior Communications Advisor
613-995-3232; Toll free 1-800-267-7362
schwik@sen.parl.gc.ca
Denis Robert
Clerk of the Committee
613-993-4874
roberd@sen.parl.gc.ca