加拿大总理哈珀在二十国集团布里斯本峰会闭幕式上的讲话

Remarks at the Conclusion of the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane

 

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

 

16 November 2014

 

Good afternoon.

 

I’d like to begin by thanking Prime Minister Abbott and the Australian public for the warm greeting they’ve given me, Laureen and our entire delegation.

 

Also much appreciated were Prime Minister Abbott’s warm words of solidarity and support following the brazen terror attacks at our National War Memorial and in our Parliament and at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

 

I know I speak for all Canadians when I say that in a dangerous world we take reassurance and comfort from our friendship with reliable, longstanding allies like Australia.

 

In the past two days, G-20 leaders held productive discussions on how to achieve higher rates of growth and job creation, and on ways to make the world economy more resilient to economic shocks.

 

These concerns are not new.

 

Over the past six years the economic outlook has been front and centre in the G-20’s efforts to overcome the effects of the global recession, efforts that have proven successful on the whole.

 

However, in these times of heightened geo-political tensions, and slowing growth in some markets, they take on a new urgency.

 

Our Government has therefore renewed our call for the removal of barriers to trade.

 

We have stressed the continuing need for fiscal and financial discipline, for sound economic policy and for strong financial regulations.

 

With free trade agreements that now embrace countries accounting for more than half of global business and with a widely recognized record of effective economic and fiscal management, these are areas in which Canada has already shown strong leadership.

 

I should also note that as part of the plan agreed to at this Summit, we are pleased to support the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and other G-20 partners in contributing to initiatives to improve global infrastructure planning and development.

 

This is one important result of the Summit which includes, by the way, real progress on the long-term stability of the banking financial systems, action on tax evasion, and a G-20-wide program of economic growth measures.

 

I also took part in useful and productive bilateral meetings.

 

This includes meetings with Prime Minister Modi of India, Prime Minister Rajoy of Spain, President of the European Council, Van Rompuy, President Juncker of the European Commission, and of course with Prime Minsters Abbott, Cameron, and Xi.

 

Later I met with Senegalese President Sall, whom I look forward to seeing again at the International Francophone Summit later this month in Senegal.

 

In conclusion, I’d be remiss if I did not congratulate Prime Minister Abbott for what I thought was excellent organization of the G-20 Summit here in Brisbane.

 

His focused agenda and capable chairmanship contributed greatly to the constructive and numerous outcomes that we had.

 

When the G-20 re-convenes in Turkey next year, I look forward to meeting again with my counterparts and to reviewing progress on liberalizing trade and strengthening the world economic and financial system.

 

I will now take your questions.