CANADIAN PARTICIPATION IN PDG STEERING GROUP

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002060 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS USOECD FOR CHARLES RANDOLPH, PAUL REID, CURTIS STONE USOAS FOR BOB MANZANARES STATE FOR EEB/EPPD, EEB/ODF, AND S/P E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID KDEM PREL OECD CA SUBJECT: CANADIAN PARTICIPATION IN PDG STEERING GROUP REF: STATE 152799 ¶1. (SBU) According to Nancy Smyth, Deputy Director of Policy Planning at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT),DFAIT's Director General for Economic Affairs John Sloan will lead Canada's delegation to the November 12 Steering Group meeting, joined by Nicole Gesnot from Canada's OECD mission. Smyth expressed appreciation for reftel non-paper on PDG Governance Issues (which she had seen in an earlier draft). Smyth commented that Canada is positive about the possibilities of the PDG, especially the south-south connections, and about bringing in "new countries" like Chile rather than an "assembly of the usual suspects." She agreed that, for the PDG to be effective, it will be necessary to get the governance piece right. Canada is very interested in how the technical debate over governance evolves and is looking for close coordination with a few partners to help set the parameters for this debate. Canada is also especially concerned with the criteria of countries around the table. Smyth noted that only three have, to date, made real contributions. The Canadian delegation is looking for a real discussion of the criteria issue on November 12. ¶2. (SBU) Smyth added that Canada had already given input to the drafters of the "informal issues note" but that the current version did not reflect its comments. She noted that Chile has been taken out of the document as an explicit candidate for co-chair. Canada agrees with the USG that the formula should be "OECD plus a partner," and not "OECD plus UNDP." Smyth confirmed that Canada is "comfortable considering Chile," which would reinforce Canada's emphasis on the hemisphere. Chile received unanimous support in its accession to OECD and would be a "good fit," Smyth commented. ¶3. (SBU) Smyth said that Canada had not yet made an effort to feed information on projects to the PDG Advisory Unit, but will consider directing some of its missions to do so. For Canada, what will be most important will be reviewing where there is a fit between PDG-proposed projects and its own criteria for development support, which the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) controls "fairly tightly." CIDA will be developing assessment criteria for PDG projects over the coming months, she promised. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS