Dear Ms. Ng:

Thank you for agreeing to serve Canadians as Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade.

On Election Day, Canadians chose to continue moving forward. From coast to coast to coast, people chose to invest in their families and communities, create good middle class jobs and fight climate change while keeping our economy strong and growing. Canadians sent the message that they want us to work together to make progress on the issues that matter most, from making their lives more affordable and strengthening the healthcare system, to protecting the environment, keeping our communities safe and moving forward on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. People expect Parliamentarians to work together to deliver these results, and that’s exactly what this team will do.

It is more important than ever for Canadians to unite and build a stronger, more inclusive and more resilient country. The Government of Canada is the central institution to promote that unity of purpose and, as a Minister in that Government, you have a personal duty and responsibility to fulfill that objective.

That starts with a commitment to govern in a positive, open and collaborative way. Our platform, Forward: A Real Plan for the Middle Class, is the starting point for our Government. I expect us to work with Parliament to deliver on our commitments. Other issues and ideas will arise or will come from Canadians, Parliament, stakeholders and the public service. It is my expectation that you will engage constructively and thoughtfully and add priorities to the Government’s agenda when appropriate. Where legislation is required, you will need to work with the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and the Cabinet Committee on Operations to prioritize within the minority Parliament.

We will continue to deliver real results and effective government to Canadians. This includes: tracking and publicly reporting on the progress of our commitments; assessing the effectiveness of our work; aligning our resources with priorities; and adapting to events as they unfold, in order to get the results Canadians rightly demand of us.

Many of our most important commitments require partnership with provincial, territorial and municipal governments and Indigenous partners, communities and governments. Even where disagreements may occur, we will remember that our mandate comes from citizens who are served by all orders of government and it is in everyone’s interest that we work together to find common ground. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Government-wide lead on all relations with the provinces and territories.

There remains no more important relationship to me and to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. We made significant progress in our last mandate on supporting self-determination, improving service delivery and advancing reconciliation. I am directing every single Minister to determine what they can do in their specific portfolio to accelerate and build on the progress we have made with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

I also expect us to continue to raise the bar on openness, effectiveness and transparency in government. This means a government that is open by default. It means better digital capacity and services for Canadians. It means a strong and resilient public service. It also means humility and continuing to acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Canadians do not expect us to be perfect; they expect us to be diligent, honest, open and sincere in our efforts to serve the public interest.

As Minister, you are accountable for your style of leadership and your ability to work constructively in Parliament. I expect that you will collaborate closely with your Cabinet and Caucus colleagues. You will also meaningfully engage with the Government Caucus and Opposition Members of Parliament, the increasingly non-partisan Senate, and Parliamentary Committees.

It is also your responsibility to substantively engage with Canadians, civil society and stakeholders, including businesses of all sizes, organized labour, the broader public sector and the not-for-profit and charitable sectors. You must be proactive in ensuring that a broad array of voices provides you with advice, in both official languages, from every region of the country.

We are committed to evidence-based decision-making that takes into consideration the impacts of policies on all Canadians and fully defends the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. You will apply Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in the decisions that you make.

Canada’s media and your engagement with them in a professional and timely manner are essential. The Parliamentary Press Gallery, indeed all journalists in Canada and abroad, ask necessary questions and contribute in an important way to the democratic process.

You will do your part to continue our Government’s commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure that people of all gender identities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, persons with disabilities and minority groups are reflected in positions of leadership.

As Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, you will lead cross-departmental work in both Global Affairs Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development. You will focus work happening in both departments on the core goal of export promotion and development, particularly for small businesses.

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will:

• Lead the implementation and maximization of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
• Increase support provided to Canadian businesses to take advantage of the opportunities that flow from being the only G7 country with a trade agreement with every other G7 country, drawing on resources from across government and from public and private sector partners, to ensure Canadian businesses and workers fully benefit from these agreements.

• Take immediate steps to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, including:
  • Reduce the cost of federal incorporation by 75 per cent to $50 from $200;
  • Eliminate the “swipe fee” on HST and GST for credit transactions; and
  • Create the Canada Entrepreneur Account, administered through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and its partners, to provide up to 2,000 entrepreneurs, per year, who leverage BDC’s advisory services with as much as $50,000 each to launch their new businesses.
• Lead the export mobilization of our small- and medium-sized enterprises. This should include an examination of current programming and should ensure that Canada is maximizing the comparative advantage it holds with its vibrant diversity and diaspora communities.
• With the support of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, identify additional tools to help Canada’s agricultural industries get their products into global markets.
• Create a new Canada Commercial Consular Service by drawing on existing resources to better support small- and medium-sized Canadian companies facing commercial or trade disputes. This could include connecting companies with local legal assistance and support through enhanced services when they need it.
• Lead the new Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and work across the government to meet the goal of doubling the number of women-owned businesses in Canada by 2025. You should draw on the work of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.
• Lead work to implement our Export Diversification Strategy. This includes:
  • Transparent performance measures to ensure we are focused on increasing and diversifying trade for the benefit of the middle class;
  • Strategies to increase trade with key global markets whether or not a trade agreement already exists, with a particular focus on the Asia-Pacific region;
  • An assessment of how the Government of Canada’s trade resources are currently applied in contrast to where Canadians’ economic opportunities lie; and
  • Work across the Trade Commissioner Service, Export Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada, Invest in Canada and the Canadian Commercial Corporation to ensure that all resources are maximizing our trade promotion capabilities.
• Advance Canada’s trade agenda, pursuing new agreements and opportunities that create jobs and economic benefits for the middle class and those people working hard to join it.
• Advance the work of the Ottawa Group on World Trade Organization (WTO) Reform to achieve realistic, meaningful and pragmatic reforms to the WTO.
• Support the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in work on Canada-U.S. Relations.

These priorities draw heavily from our election platform commitments. As mentioned, you are encouraged to seek opportunities to work across Parliament in the fulfillment of these commitments and to identify additional priorities.

I expect you to work closely with your Deputy Minister and their senior officials to ensure that the ongoing work of your department is undertaken in a professional manner and that decisions are made in the public interest. Your Deputy Minister will brief you on the many daily decisions necessary to ensure the achievement of your priorities, the effective running of the government and better services for Canadians. It is my expectation that you will apply our values and principles to these decisions so that they are dealt with in a timely and responsible manner and in a way that is consistent with the overall direction of our Government.

Our ability, as a government, to implement our priorities depends on consideration of the professional, non-partisan advice of public servants. Each and every time a government employee comes to work, they do so in service to Canada, with a goal of improving our country and the lives of all Canadians. I expect you to establish a collaborative working relationship with your Deputy Minister, whose role, and the role of public servants under their direction, is to support you in the performance of your responsibilities.

We have committed to an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians, lives up to the highest ethical standards and applies the utmost care and prudence in the handling of public funds. I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do. I want Canadians to look on their own government with pride and trust.

As Minister, you must ensure that you are aware of and fully compliant with the Conflict of Interest Act and Treasury Board policies and guidelines. You will be provided with a copy of Open and Accountable Government to assist you as you undertake your responsibilities. I ask that you carefully read it, including elements that have been added to strengthen it, and ensure that your staff does so as well. I expect that in staffing your offices you will hire people who reflect the diversity of Canada, and that you will uphold principles of gender equality, disability equality, pay equity and inclusion.

Give particular attention to the Ethical Guidelines set out in Annex A of that document, which apply to you and your staff. As noted in the Guidelines, you must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality, and both the performance of your official duties and the arrangement of your private affairs should bear the closest public scrutiny. This is an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.

I will note that you are responsible for ensuring that your Minister’s Office meets the highest standards of professionalism and that it is a safe, respectful, rewarding and welcoming place for your staff to work.

I know I can count on you to fulfill the important responsibilities entrusted in you. It is incumbent on you to turn to me and the Deputy Prime Minister early and often to support you in your role as Minister.

Sincerely,

Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada