APPENDIX 2
RECENT FEDERAL INITIATIVES ON INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
In 1995, Industry Canada released
Small Business: a progress report, which identified the
main federal initiatives since 1993. Dealing specifically with international business
development initiatives and the SME sector, the Report noted a number of government
initiatives and responses to committee proposals:
- A review of the government's support for international business development by 13
members of the business community - International Business Development Review
Committee (IBDRC), also known as the Wilson Report - on September 30, 1994.
- The SME Exporter Action Plan to identify priorities for improving financial support and
access to information for small business exporters.
- Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade initiatives to provide access to
"timely, strategic information" such as the Department's FaxLink and other
information sources such as Step-by-Step Kit for Accessing Information on Federal
Government Programs and Services for Exporters and Potential Exporters and The
Road Map to Exporting and Export Finance.
- Training of trade officers with a focus on SMEs and their requirements in market
intelligence and information, export services and for investment and strategic
alliances. As well, DFAIT has been improving internal information systems with
initiatives such as the Trade Enquiries Sourcing Team (TEST), a "quick response" unit
intended to speed the flow of trade leads from Trade Commissioners abroad to
Canadian companies.
- In response to the IBDRC, the government is targeting the high-growth markets of
Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and is allocating resources to these markets to meet
client demands. Trade officers will be opened or strengthened in key growth markets,
such as Vietnam, Korea, China and Chile. As well, in the United States and Western
Europe, the government is shifting the focus of its support to investment and strategic
alliances.
- Also in response to the IBDRC, the government is focussing international business
development financial support onto small businesses. For example, the Program for
Export Market Development (PEMD) has been targeted to firms with annual sales of
less than $10 million, or fewer than 100 employees in the case of manufacturers, 50 in
the case of service firms.
- Cooperating with the private sector and the academic community in funding the initial
start-up phases of the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT).
- Focussing support on priority areas in Canada's Export Strategy known as the
International Trade Business Plan, especially in developing and coordinating
international strategies, priorities and activities across the federal government and in
consultation with the provinces and the private sector.
- Promoting tourism through the National Tourism Initiative.
- Building trade and investment partnerships with the private sector through initiatives
such as the user-pay, multipurpose trade centre in Mexico City and efforts to help
SMEs find international investment partners and best-practice technologies.
- Building closer ties with industry associations.
- Introducing through the Export Development Corporation (EDC) and the Canadian
Commercial Corporation (CCC), in cooperation with private sector financial
institutions, export financing mechanisms which target pre-shipment financing and
foreign accounts receivable.