Trade took back seat on Harper’s Thailand trip

Trade took back seat on Harper’s Thailand trip – Globe and Mail, March 30, 2012
…The two countries have a lot to offer to one another. Canada has energy technology, especially of the clean-tech variety, which Thailand covets. Thailand is a manufacturing and export powerhouse that is moving up the value chain (auto making has emerged as big industry).
But the signal given by Mr. Harper’s team last week was that Canada doesn’t much care about ramping up trade and investment between the two countries. This is a pity. Traditionally, leaders of government are seen as any Western country’s chief ambassador and salesman. Mr. Harper could do with a few less photo ops and a few more “sell Canada” sessions. The man does, after all, stress his pro-market, pro-business stance.