APEC Youth and Trade Report (1997)Canadian APEC Youth and Trade Team -- Overview
Canadian APEC Youth and Trade Team -- Overview Building on the commitment by APEC Leaders at their November 1996 meeting in Subic, Philippines, to engage young people in APEC's work, Prime Minister ChrÈtien has identified youth as target participants in APEC 1997 activities, to ensure that future generations have a role in shaping the APEC vision. At the APEC Trade Ministerial Meeting (TMM), on May 9-10, the first of five Ministerial Meetings to be held in Canada this year, Canada's Minister for International Trade invited six students to join the event. An electronic conference, to prepare the students for attendance at the meeting, was set up with the assistance of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and TG Magazine. The conference linked over 35 students across Canada to an Internet site entitled "APEC Youth and Trade".
The electronic conference posed three questions to encourage youth views on trade, business and economic issues in the Asia Pacific region. Comments on each question were collected for one week. The six most enthusiastic and knowledgeable students were selected to prepare a three-page report for presentation to the Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister for International Trade at a dialogue session prior to the Ministerial event, on May 8.
The report proposed several initiatives to involve youth in APEC such as a virtual Canada-Asia-Pacific Youth Council, and possible educational exchange programs.
Minister Eggleton expressed genuine interest in the ideas of youth participants, and agreed that Canada's trade and economic policies should reflect both an holistic approach and a long-term commitment to building the Asia-Pacific community. The Youth Team was pleased to have the opportunity to express their views on APEC to the Government of Canada.
The meeting provided significant impetus for the participation of youth in the Ministerial meeting on Friday, which included several opportunities to discuss youth involvement with officials and Ministers from other APEC members. In fact, several member economies expressed an interest in exploring the youth component further in subsequent TMM. The favourable reception of the youth participation and report on the part of DFAIT and APEC Ministers and officials also resulted in the adoption of the report to Minister Eggleton, entitled "Youth and the APEC Community", as an official APEC document, thus ensuring its circulation to all participating delegations of the Ministerial meeting. In his closing statement, the Minister encouraged other member economies to follow Canada's lead to involve young people as an important means of building the APEC community. A final report was developed by the Youth and Trade Team.
The Youth Team was also involved in the APEC Customs/Industry Trade Show as well as the official lunch for Ministers and the Gala Dinner hosted by Minister Eggleton.
© 1997 - TG Magazine / The Students Commission
© 1997 le magazine TG / la Commission des Ètudiants