PM Trudeau urges Canadian companies to go global

Trudeau urged the companies at a conference hosted by China's e-commerce giant Alibaba.

The prime minister has been supported aptly by Alibaba's chief executive Jack Ma.

Trudeau, addressing an audience of 36,000 Canadian business owners, urged them to "think big, think beyond our borders” when “much of the world is looking inwards, closing off, going protectionist every now and then".

The prime minister was quoted by the Star as saying: "Canada remains open and optimistic about the role we can play in the world ... The world is going to realize that ‘No, no, we need to be engaged and open" the prime minister said at the conference."

"But if they are taking a lot longer to do that, then we have an advantage right now here in Canada” he added.

Trudeau's comments assumed significance as the country is negotiating with the US in North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) presently.

The report even said the Trudeau government is aiming to make a trade deal with China, to strengthen the bilateral relationship.

"As we are in an exploratory talks with China, we are highlighting the values that are important — not just to us as a government, but as Canadians," the PM said.

Amplifying the words of Trudeau, Ma questioned the logic behind the efforts by several countries to stop the free trade across the geographical borders.

He said: "In the future there will not be made in Canada, made in America, made in China. Most of the products will be made in the internet."

Ma said that Chinese consumers have an appetite for the Canadian products and 1.5 billion Chinese people residing in Canada are the ambassadors of those products.

Alibaba, which was founded by Ma in 1999, is the world's biggest retailer since 2016 after surpassing Walmart.

The e-commerce company, which serves services through web portals, is presently operating in more than 200 countries.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)