The Canadian High Commissioner to the U.K., Ralph Goodale, delivered a keynote message to the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce this week.

Goodale highlighted the brutal war of aggression by Russia on Ukraine this year.

He says the attack is causing much death, destruction and human agony across Ukraine.

Goodale called it aggression at its worst, compounded by war crimes and mass graves of innocent victims.

He says the rule of law and rules-based international order is at stake.

He says the Russians have stolen Ukrainian food supplies and stopped grain exports, denying hungry people the food they need to survive.

He says Canada is the worlds third largest exporter of wheat, fourth in oil exports, 5th in natural gas expects, number one potash and number 2 for uranium.

Goodale says where Canada can help to fill gaps, we will.

He also discussed efforts to reach a comprehensive trade deal between Canada and the UK.

Goodale says the two negotiating teams meet again in Ottawa for Round two in June.

He says both sides are optimistic a current interim agreement can be improved with face-to-face negotiations.

Goodale says the value of two-way trade between Canada and the UK totalled more than 42 billion dollars.

He sys the UK is Canada’s third largest export market for goods, and second largest market for services.

The UK is Canada’s second largest investment destination abroad and third largest source.

He says the goal is for trade diversification and Canada wants to go beyond the U.S. and the UK wants to go beyond the European Union.

Priorities include small to medium companies exports, the digital economy, technology, and agricultural and food exports.

Goodale says there are several other priorities as well like clean energy technology, rare earth materials and aerospace and automotive sectors.

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