On Location: 

Canada and Brazil Strengthen Relationship

Building on 100-plus years of trade ties

Many officials and private investment watchers in both Brazil and Canada believe the next several months could mark an important turning point in the relationship between the two countries.

The number of official visits in both directions that has either occurred lately or are planned for the year ahead is among the indicators of a relationship growing in strength.

Top brass of Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned energy company and one of the leading and most powerful oil and gas entities in the world, is visiting Calgary and Halifax in October to find out more about what Canada’s oil and gas industry has to offer. With a pledge to invest $174 billion US between now and 2013, officials say Canadians would be wise to consider the opportunities in Brazil, where there is a generally accepted lack of capital and capacity needed to keep up to both Petrobras and other private demands for increased infrastructure.

Brazil represents more than half of South America in terms of geography, population and economy. It is an important player on global issues such as trade liberalization, international security, and the United Nations reform and a growing market for trade and investments.

Brazil was International Trade Minister Stockwell Day’s first foreign destination after he took office last year, and is the only foreign centre he has officially visited twice.

Recently, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon visited Brazil to investigate opportunities for Canadians as well.

Co-operation in areas such as human rights, security, governance, defence, federalism, science and technology, air services, agriculture, cultural diversity, environment, labour, aboriginal affairs, health and education are all underway between the two countries.

Canada and Brazil have signed a number of agreements, treaties and memorandums of understanding over the years. One of the most recent initiatives between the two countries is the establishment of a Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation signed in November 2008. The Canada-Brazil Science and Technology Agreement will provide opportunities for bilateral co-operation in fields of common interest. The agreement will stimulate matchmaking activities and accelerate research and development commercialization by fostering industry-to-industry and industry-to-university collaboration.

For more on this story, see Slick World November, 2009 issue featuring Brazil

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