Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OTTAWA1362
2008-10-23 15:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:
CANADA SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SUMMIT
how-toVZCZCXRO2519 PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC DE RUEHOT #1362 2971504 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231504Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8632 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0164 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2268 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1122 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0458 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0112 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1375 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0243 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0966 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1878 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2232 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0435 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1029 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0300 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0247 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1375 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1531 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0646
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001362
SIPDIS
NSC FOR BROWN
STATE FOR EBB/IFD/OMA AND WHA/EPSC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: CA ECON EFIN PREL
SUBJECT: CANADA SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SUMMIT
Classified By: ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR ERIC BENJAMINSON. REASON
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001362
SIPDIS
NSC FOR BROWN
STATE FOR EBB/IFD/OMA AND WHA/EPSC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: CA ECON EFIN PREL
SUBJECT: CANADA SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SUMMIT
Classified By: ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR ERIC BENJAMINSON. REASON 1.
5 (B) AND (D).
1. (sbu) Summary: Canada fully supports the November 15
Financial Markets and World Economy Summit, and is committed
to market-based financial systems and liberalized trading
markets, according to senior Canadian financial officials.
Canada will work closely with the United States and the G-7
countries to identify and implement solutions to the world
financial crisis. End Summary.
2. (c) Canada supports President Bush's call for a Summit on
Financial Markets and World Economy, and expects to back
continued U.S. and G-7 support for market-based financial
systems and liberalized trading markets, Deputy Finance
Minister Robert Wright and senior Finance officials told EMIN
and Econcouns on October 22. Wright emphasized that whatever
direction and shape the international crisis response might
take, Canada shares common interests with the United States
and our two countries would also together find a sensible way
forward.
3. (c) Associate Deputy Minister (ADM) of Finance and G-7
Sous-Sherpa Tiff Macklem stated that while the international
community appears headed toward "a very large global rethink"
on financial matters, it was important to protect
market-based approaches. He said there is a lot of anger
toward the United States in Europe and there is the potential
for a backlash against open financial markets. ADM for
International Finance and Trade Graham Flack said Mexican
Financial Minister Carstens has called G-7 stewardship of the
international financial system into question by claiming that
Mexico did all the "right things" regarding its own financial
system -- including opening up its banking sector -- and says
that Mexico is now suffering through no fault of its own.
4. (c) Macklem said the United States had done a good job in
acknowledging that mistakes have been made and in telling
everyone that finding solutions to the crisis would take
time. He said President Bush's call for an early summit
followed by a series of meetings is the right strategy.
Macklem stated that reaching a common understanding of the
issues and agreeing on a longer-term process is more
important than trying to force through "deliverables" in,
say, four weeks.
5. (c) Canada would have preferred a smaller group of
countries and entities at the Summit, Macklem said, but
understands (and is "comfortable with") inviting the G-20,
IMF, UNSYG, World Bank, and the Financial Stability Forum.
Macklem stated that Canada wants to ensure, however, that the
G-7 countries remain central to global financial efforts
given their like-minded views on market-based solutions.
Flack commented that while the G-20 could give the
international response more legitimacy, it might be less
efficient than a smaller group. He said the G-20 has a
Qefficient than a smaller group. He said the G-20 has a
tradition of study groups and looking at best practices,
rather than decision making. Flack expressed his hope that
the G-20 members and the other entities would come to see
problems and solutions in a similar way.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
BREESE
SIPDIS
NSC FOR BROWN
STATE FOR EBB/IFD/OMA AND WHA/EPSC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: CA ECON EFIN PREL
SUBJECT: CANADA SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SUMMIT
Classified By: ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR ERIC BENJAMINSON. REASON 1.
5 (B) AND (D).
1. (sbu) Summary: Canada fully supports the November 15
Financial Markets and World Economy Summit, and is committed
to market-based financial systems and liberalized trading
markets, according to senior Canadian financial officials.
Canada will work closely with the United States and the G-7
countries to identify and implement solutions to the world
financial crisis. End Summary.
2. (c) Canada supports President Bush's call for a Summit on
Financial Markets and World Economy, and expects to back
continued U.S. and G-7 support for market-based financial
systems and liberalized trading markets, Deputy Finance
Minister Robert Wright and senior Finance officials told EMIN
and Econcouns on October 22. Wright emphasized that whatever
direction and shape the international crisis response might
take, Canada shares common interests with the United States
and our two countries would also together find a sensible way
forward.
3. (c) Associate Deputy Minister (ADM) of Finance and G-7
Sous-Sherpa Tiff Macklem stated that while the international
community appears headed toward "a very large global rethink"
on financial matters, it was important to protect
market-based approaches. He said there is a lot of anger
toward the United States in Europe and there is the potential
for a backlash against open financial markets. ADM for
International Finance and Trade Graham Flack said Mexican
Financial Minister Carstens has called G-7 stewardship of the
international financial system into question by claiming that
Mexico did all the "right things" regarding its own financial
system -- including opening up its banking sector -- and says
that Mexico is now suffering through no fault of its own.
4. (c) Macklem said the United States had done a good job in
acknowledging that mistakes have been made and in telling
everyone that finding solutions to the crisis would take
time. He said President Bush's call for an early summit
followed by a series of meetings is the right strategy.
Macklem stated that reaching a common understanding of the
issues and agreeing on a longer-term process is more
important than trying to force through "deliverables" in,
say, four weeks.
5. (c) Canada would have preferred a smaller group of
countries and entities at the Summit, Macklem said, but
understands (and is "comfortable with") inviting the G-20,
IMF, UNSYG, World Bank, and the Financial Stability Forum.
Macklem stated that Canada wants to ensure, however, that the
G-7 countries remain central to global financial efforts
given their like-minded views on market-based solutions.
Flack commented that while the G-20 could give the
international response more legitimacy, it might be less
efficient than a smaller group. He said the G-20 has a
Qefficient than a smaller group. He said the G-20 has a
tradition of study groups and looking at best practices,
rather than decision making. Flack expressed his hope that
the G-20 members and the other entities would come to see
problems and solutions in a similar way.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
BREESE