Archive for September, 2015

Canada: Minerals and metals supplier to the world

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Canada: Minerals and metals supplier to the world

Canada is one of the world’s leading mining nations. From humble beginnings with small-scale coal mining on Cape Breton Island, N.S., 350 years ago, there are now more than 1,100 mining and exploration projects operating today. Canada produces more than 60 minerals and metals. The country ranks No. 1 in the world in potash and […]

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Africa plagued by third term-itis

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Africa plagued by third term-itis

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s graceful acceptance of his loss this year to incoming President Muhammadu Buhari was a major advance for African democracy, for setting peaceful transition precedents, and for helping to mature political leadership on the continent. But that easy handover to an opponent was exceptional. Equally often, African rulers cling tenaciously to their […]

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Environmental protection: Where Canada stands

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Environmental protection:  Where Canada stands

Canada enjoys an embarrassment of riches that make for a safe and healthy life for most of its citizens. The country prides itself on its health care and social systems, enjoys clean air and water and reaps the benefits of abundant natural resources. Canada’s management of these resources placed it 24th out of 178 countries […]

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The greenest countries

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
The greenest  countries

Pope Francis practically sounded like Canadian author Naomi Klein this past June when his second encyclical, titled Laudato Si,’ blamed irresponsible capitalism and consumerism for the environmental perils that confront humanity. Linking these problems to global inequality, western political interests and a “throwaway culture” that consumes resources and fetishizes technology, His Holiness warned of “unprecedented […]

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The Pope embraces the natural world

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
The Pope embraces the natural world

Dear mother earth who day by day Unfoldest blessings on our way O praise God, alleluia! These words from the well-known hymn, “All Creatures of our God and King,” have their origin in The Canticle of Creation, authored by St. Francis of Assisi, and with words drawn from that canticle, Pope Francis begins the second […]

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Italy and Canada: Trading on many levels

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Italy and Canada: Trading on many levels

Italy and Canada are experiencing a truly extraordinary moment in their relationship, one that is rich with great opportunity. Canada is one of Italy’s closest friends and a priority economic partner. Bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly commercially speaking, offer tremendous potential, confirmed by the figures relative to our trade balance, which is growing […]

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Mexico and Canada: NAFTA was just the start

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Mexico and Canada: NAFTA was just the start

The Mexico-Canada economic relationship was significantly boosted by the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, particularly in terms of trade and investment. NAFTA created a regional market worth US$20 trillion and facilitated production and trade integration among its members. Today, the three countries form a highly competitive, productive […]

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Mongolia: Open for business

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
Mongolia: Open for business

Mongolians are peace-loving, open-minded people, residing on a vast land of 1.5 million square kilometres. For centuries, since the establishment of the Great Mongol Empire by Genghis Khan, Mongols have maintained rule of law and open foreign policies. The Mongolian economy has expanded rapidly since the 1990s, achieving a peak of 17.4 percent growth in […]

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International Women: Dining with diplomats

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
International Women: Dining with diplomats

A total of nine ambassadors once again showed their graciousness to the community of Ottawa when they took part in the International Women’s Forum’s annual general meeting and behind-the-scenes experience in Ottawa. Maureen Boyd, one of the organizers of the IWF event, approached a number of ambassadors to see if they would host dinners for […]

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International development: More than safe bets

| September 27, 2015 | 0 Comments
International development: More than safe bets

It’s rare that you get to see the fruits of development work up close, let alone hold it in your hands or feed it to cows. Earlier this year, I went on a three-country tour of Engineers Without Borders Canada’s work in sub-Saharan Africa. I started in Kenya, where there’s a distinct feeling of “Just […]

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