Diplomatica
‘Made in Slovakia’ — for Canadians
Slovakia, one of the world’s youngest countries, has in nearly 20 years of its independence managed to achieve results that should make its people proud. Slovakia has become a full-fledged member of such prestigious clubs as OECD (2000), EU and NATO (2004), the Schengen Area (2007) and Eurozone (2009). Canada, one of the world’s most […]
Malaysia: Harness our country’s growth
Malaysia is one of the top five most competitive countries in the world for international trade, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011. Despite the world economic downturn, Malaysia enjoyed a trade surplus of US$38.97 billion in 2011, an increase of 8.7 percent in total trade from the previous year. Trade between Malaysia and Canada […]
For business or for beaches, choose Ecuador
For the embassy of Ecuador, boosting trade and investment with Canada is a key goal. On the trade side, the potential to increase bilateral commerce is accentuated by our interestingly diverse products. Ecuador exports oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, flowers, tropical fruits, cacao, coffee and industrialized products such as textiles, car parts, software and canned tuna. […]
Afghanistan’s ambassador: thank you, Canada
Barna Karimi, Afghanistan’s new ambassador to Canada, has a varied background which most recently included two key jobs in Afghanistan — first working as President Hamid Karzai’s deputy chief of staff (2005-2007) and then working for him as a deputy minister (2007-2011). But he comes with corporate and cultural distinctions, too. For four years (2001-2005), […]
Chile, ‘pioneer’ in free trade
When Chile joined Brunei, New Zealand and Singapore as founding members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2006, it was no accident. Chile’s first big step toward becoming a pioneer country — one that has been working for decades to achieve better conditions for worldwide trade, particularly within the Pacific basin area — took place when […]
Chamberfest 2012 stars 450 artists
The 19th annual Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival takes place between July 26 and August 9. This summer’s edition presents more than 450 artists and 100 concerts and events over 15 days of musical celebration in the nation’s capital. Canadian Brass opens Ottawa Chamberfest 2012, July 26 at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, with its legendary musical […]
Paying it forward, Korean-style
The idea of “paying it forward” has always been something that appealed to departing South Korean Ambassador Nam Joo-hong and that’s exactly what he did in April, just days before he was unexpectedly called home for a new, high-profile job in Korea’s national security. The Rolling Rampage on the Hill is put on by the […]
Creating perfect smiles
Words that describe Canadian volunteers overseas — modest, polite, friendly, empathetic, inclusive, thoughtful, but most of all good friends and partners. These were the words that inspired Kimit Rai to found Canadian-led surgical group Operation Rainbow Canada (ORC) in 1998. The mandate of ORC is to provide free cleft lip and palate surgery to impoverished […]
Supply management: an antiquated barrier to trade
The Conservative government of Stephen Harper has made it increasingly clear that international trade is one of its top economic priorities. Whether through expanding existing trade agreements (such as building on NAFTA) or negotiating new deals with the European Union, Japan, Korea, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Ottawa is placing ever-growing emphasis on trade deals as […]
After the Arab Spring, hurricane season
A year and a half later, the “Arab Spring” protests that have swept the Arab world look a lot more like a clash of four seasons and not simply the onset of one. Its four Rs are revolution, rebellion, religion and recidivism. As in the French and American revolutions, many of those who have taken […]
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