Canada’s 2012 Budget will help expand trade and open new markets for businesses, the Minister in charge has said. Ted Menzies, the Minister of State (Finance), spoke at the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa to promote the benefits of the new Budget, Economic Action Plan 2012. He said, “Our government understands that Canada’s prosperity is linked to reaching beyond our borders for economic opportunities that serve to grow Canada’s trade and investment. In less than six years, Canada has concluded new free trade agreements with nine countries and concluded or brought into force foreign investment promotion and protection agreements with 10 others.”

Menzies explained that the Budget builds on these successes in a variety of ways. He said that it intensifies Canada’s pursuit of new and deeper international trade and investment relationships, and updates the government’s Global Commerce Strategy. It implements the Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness and the Action Plan on Regulatory Cooperation. These initiatives, Menzies said, will facilitate trade and investment flows with the United States.