I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all of you for attending this very important roundtable with Minister Goodyear this past Friday. There were many very good ideas passed to the Minister that have a potential impact to your nations of cultural origin. Most importantly, you all had excellent suggestions on how to leverage Canadian products, institutions and knoweldge especially from Southern Ontario, which would enhance our own economic growth here at home and at the same time, develop trade relationships across a wide variety of specific trade needs abroad. I found this to be a very collegial gathering and I know the Minister was most impressed at how well prepared, knowledgeable and organized all of you were and at how the overall presentations complimented one another. The fact that many of you cited the presentations of your fellow participants demonstrates a willingness to work together for mutual benefit and the overall benefit of Canada. You are all bridges to your cultural homelands and that provides Canada with an advantage that cannot be undersestimated. On behalf on Minister Goodyear, the Government of Canada is both proud and blessed to have all of you helping us to advance Canadian interests at home and abroad. Canada is a pluralistic success story and it is very much activities such as these that make this nation even greater. It is in our diversity that we truly find our strength.

I would also like to thank specifically the diplomatic corps for attending and your trade commisioners for your most insightful comments. The spirit of cooperation that we have shared together strengthens our friendships and permits your respective diasporas here in Canada to make a contribution to the land of their heritage.

Once again, my sincere thanks to you all for a highly successful roundtable. I look forward to following up with all of you individually.


Ted Opitz
Senior Regional Advisor, GTA