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Canada and Poland are promoting closer trade ties and co-operationin the energy and resource sectors during the first visit to Canadaby a Polish prime minister in more than two decades. A joint statement issued Monday outlined agreement on a taxconvention and a committment to two-trade as a "platform" for thetwo countries to "explore further collaboration in the areas ofenergy policies and regulations, renewable and nuclear energy,carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency, and shale gasdevelopment." The statement came as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrapped upa three-day tour of Canada Monday, with an official visit toParliament Hill and a private meeting with Prime Minister StephenHarper. "As responsible governments we must care for energy security fromthe strategic perspective of both Canada and Poland," Tusk toldreporters after their meeting. "The exploration and production ofshale gas seems to be absolutely crucial." "Canada is a leader in the production of virtually all forms ofenergy and we have considerable Canadian companies that areinterested in working in Poland," Harper said. In response to a question from a Polish reporter about shale gasdevelopment, Harper said the best way to address local concerns is"full, open and transparent environmental processes that examinepeople's concerns on a scientific basis." "Not on the basis of politics, but on the basis of science," Harperadded. Double-taxation agreement signed In addition to the expanded energy partnership, Canada and Polandhave signed a new tax convention to replace a previous agreementdating back to 1987. The double-taxation agreement will lower the maximum rate ofwithholding tax imposed on dividends paid between companies and oninterest payments. It's intended to increase trade and bilateralinvestment for companies doing business between the two countries. Harper and Tusk began working on the tax agreement during their2008 meeting in Gdansk, Poland. Following the signing of the tax convention, Harper began the twoleaders' joint news conference by remembering that an earlierofficial visit to Canada planned for 2010 was cancelled following aplane crash that claimed the life of Poland's then-president LechKaczynski, his wife and several other senior officials. "Today we again remember them and renew our expressions of sorrow,"Harper said, lauding the "deep historic partnership between Canadaand Poland" demonstrated more recently during the NATO mission inAfghanistan. Harper called Poland "an important market for Canadian exports" andcomplimented Tusk's leadership in noting that Poland is the only EUcountry to have avoided a recession since the 2008-09 globaleconomic crisis. Tusk returned the favour, pledging to represent Canada's interestsacross Europe. "It's not my place to tell the Europeans how to resolve problemswithin the European Union," Harper said in declining to revealCanada's prefered course for solving the EU's economic woes, otherthan to insist the "serious" problems be addressed. Strengthening ties Tusk was a student leader in the Polish Solidarity movement, whichtook hold as communism crumbled in Eastern Europe at the end of theCold War. "There is much that draws us together," Harper said, noting the"vibrant" Polish-Canadian population of more than a million people,and pledging that the bilateral relationship will be "furtherstrengthened" when Canada concludes negotiations on a free tradedeal with Europe, expected later this year. The Canadian government also announced a $400,000 grant for theAuschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, to assist with the preservation ofits Holocaust memorial site. On Sunday, Tusk visited the community of Wilno, Ont., the site ofthe first Polish settlement in Canada in the mid-1850s. Tusk noted that the original settlers were Kashubian Poles from theregion around his own hometown of Gdansk. "They are the besttestimony to how great a place to live Canada is for people ofdifferent histories, different backgrounds, different languages[and] different nationalities." The Polish prime minister also visited the Quadra copper mine inSudbury, which was purchased by the Polish mining group KGHM inMarch. Tusk heralded it as an example of cooperation between thetwo countries in the resource sector. Harper noted that the$2.9-billion investment in Canada's mining sector is one of thelargest Polish investments in the world. Tusk's visit concludes Monday with additional meetings in theafternoon followed by an evening reception for the Polish communityon Parliament Hill. I am an expert from ipl-beautyequipments.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China PDT Light Treatment , IPL Beauty Equipment, IPL Hair Removal Machine,and more.
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