Canadian Chamber of Commerce Welcomes the Appointment of an Ambassador to China

OTTAWA – September 4, 2019 – The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Honourable Perrin Beatty, P.C, O.C.,  issued the following statement in response to the appointment of Dominic Barton as Canada’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

“Canada’s relationship with China is currently in a period of unprecedented difficulty, both in terms of political and commercial affairs. The appointment of an Ambassador signals a modest, but crucial, step in enabling Canada to better advance its interest with the Chinese government at this important juncture. We commend our government for their efforts in securing the Chinese government’s approval of this appointment.

Dominic Barton’s nomination as our country’s ambassador to China places a well-qualified Canadian with a breadth of international knowledge and experience in one of Canada’s most important diplomatic posts. It would be hard to think of a better-qualified Canadian to take on such an important responsibility at such a critical time. He has a deep sense of public service, an outstanding intellect and enormous energy, all of which are going to be needed in the days ahead. On behalf of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, I congratulate Mr. Barton on his appointment.

Canada’s business community continues to emphasize the importance of a rules-based international system that provides predictability for Canadians and our companies that operate abroad. In that context we look forward to working with Mr. Barton to advance Canada’s political and economic objectives in our relationship with the world’s second-largest economy.”

The Voice of Canadian Business

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most representative business association. Speaking with one unified voice on behalf of nearly a quarter million businesses, the Canadian Chamber’s job is to help Canadian businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions grow their business. We do this by helping them connect to each other, new opportunities, providing essential business services and influencing government policy on their behalf. For more information, visit Chamber.ca or follow us @CdnChamberofCom.

Media contact:
Alita Fabiano
Communications and Marketing Officer
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
613.238.4000 (2255) | afabiano@chamber.ca