Did You Know...? - Edition 24

January 15, 2010

That… Minister Shea met with Chinese officials in Beijing to discuss trade opportunities for Canada’s sealing industry. This trip demonstrates our government’s commitment to Canada’s sealing industry. Canadian sealers, processors, artisans and Inuit produce some of the finest quality products in the world. China is our second largest trading partner and China is the world's largest consumer of fish and seafood. It is a market that represents great prospects for Canadian processors and great potential for our exports. Our Conservative government is taking strong action to improve trade and market opportunity with respect to seals and other Canadian seafood products. For Canada, sealing is about more than fur.  The trade of other seal products such as oils and meat represents a growing share of what is already a multi-million dollar business. Our Government will continue to help expand markets at home and abroad.

That… The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that Canada will match individual donations to registered Canadian charitable organizations to support humanitarian and early recovery assistance to people affected by the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. The Government of Canada will match the contributions of individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations in support of humanitarian and recovery efforts in response to the earthquake in Haiti, up to a total of $50 million. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will allocate these funds to Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations. Donations made by individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations over the period of January 12 to February 12, 2010 will be matched by the Government of Canada through the CIDA-managed Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. The Fund will support Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations with significant in-country capacity to deliver humanitarian, early recovery and reconstruction assistance in Haiti. More information is available on the CIDA website at www.cida.gc.ca