Canada and Germany have shared values and convictions and are working ever more closely together in the economic, academic and political spheres. Not least thanks to the CETA free trade agreement, the ratification of which is taking far too long, bilateral investment and trade between our countries continues to increase. Especially in the areas of business and academia, the focus is for the most part not on the capitals, Ottawa and Berlin, but rather on the Canadian provinces and territories, as well as on the German Länder.

That is why I will be visiting those provinces of Canada that are the largest and most important in economic terms. Ontario, with its population of more than 15 million, generates 38.1% of Canada’s GDP, followed by Quebec with 19.47% and Alberta with 16.97%. Taken together, these three provinces account for nearly three-quarters of Canada’s economic output.

During my trip, I will be placing a clear focus on economic relations and academic cooperation. Having a federal government system, too, we Germans know how important multilevel diplomacy is. That is why I believe it is also important to intensify political contacts at province and territory level.