Ireland Canada Business Association

Welcome to the Ireland Canada Business Association

The Ireland Canada Business Association (ICBA) was founded in 1978 with the mandate of promoting and developing trade and industrial links between Ireland and Canada. The organisation is a non-profit bilateral trade association (effectively acting as a quasi chamber of commerce). The Patron of the Association is the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Patrick G. Binns.

The Association's members are typically drawn from a wide range of Irish and Canadian firms from the financial services, manufacturing and services sectors with operations in Canada or Ireland.

An important aim of the Association for the coming year is to facilitate interaction among members with networking events of the highest calibre.

Ireland Canada Business Association

Foundation / Patron Members

NEWSFLASH

Canadian Banking System deemed healthiest in the world
Source: Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek © 2009

Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's CANADA. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it. Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest. It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.

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NEWS & EVENTS

PATRON'S ADDRESS
Patron of Ireland Canada Business Association
Patrick G. Binns, Ambassador to the Embassy of Canada in Dublin

On behalf of the Embassy of Canada in Ireland and as the Patron of the Ireland Canada Business Association (ICBA), I am pleased to welcome you to this website.

Relations between Ireland and Canada have always been close - with approximately four million Canadians claiming Irish ancestry. While family ties form the basis of these relations, shared values and interests between our two countries have further strengthened the Canada-Ireland relationship, particularly in meeting the challenges of domestic and global governance. There is a growing dialogue, increased cooperation and sharing of "best practices" in areas such as education, parliamentary reform, healthcare, and in other social and economic policies.

Trade between the two countries totalled nearly Cdn $2.5 billion in 2008, complemented by a growing number of bilateral research and development initiatives, investment projects and joint ventures. A Blue Skies air agreement signed between Ireland and Canada in April 2007 now allows Canadian and Irish air carriers to provide services between any city in Canada and Ireland – resulting in a 15% increase in air travel last year.
The Embassy of Canada views the ICBA as an important ally, particularly as it strives to promote Canada as a globally competitive location and partner for investment, innovation and value-added production. Irish companies who are looking for a key entry point into the North America Free Trade Agreement market will find Canadian cities to be among the most cost competitive production locations in the world, while Canadian firms looking for a springboard into Europe, the Middle East and Africa will also find key advantages in Ireland.

If you are interested in further exploring this commercial relationship, I would encourage you to contact the Canadian Embassy, which has a team of dedicated Trade Commissioners that can assist you, as well as the ICBA which can expose you to a valuable network of professionals who have experience in doing business with Canada.

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to wish the Ireland Canada Business Association every success as it endeavours to carry out an ambitious program of activities this year.

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May/June 2009
Media Lunch at the Canadian Embassy / Official Residence

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July 1st, 2009
Canada Day Business Luncheon - Official Residence of Canadian Ambassador

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Fall 2009
Maple Leaf Gala Dinner

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7/8 Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2 Tel.: (+ 353 1) 234 4018 Fax: (+ 353 1) 234 4001 E-mail: info@irelandcanada.com