A Canadian trade vision of youth

Fifteen of Canada’s brightest and most community involved young university students will arrive in Panama on Thursday to begin a seven day “business venture” They are part of a program called Global Vision which has brought together students from across Canada to form Junior Team Canada 2009 Trade Mission.

If that sounds progressive, read the statement of one 19- year old member of the team, Colin Chau as reported in his local paper in Richmond, British Columbia.

"I will be part of a delegation that will be exploring investment and export opportunities in the emerging Central American market, in light of Canada's economic and diplomatic re-engagement with the Americas,

"With access to various government and private sector officials, I will be representing a consortium of Canadian companies and the Government in Canada to assess the viability of opportunities overseas."

Quite a mouthful from from a second year university student.

Over 800 young Canadians applied for an opportunity to head to Panama and Costa Rica to meet and talk with local government and industry leaders

Through the Canadian embassy in Panama, they will explore partnerships and investment opportunity of foreign markets for Canadian exports and report back to their business sponsors in Canada

That means that multiple Canadian companies will have their eyes opened to possible links to the business cross roads of Central America.

Chau, is a second-year political science and economics student at the University of B.C., and what impressed the Global Vision Foundation about him was the key role he played in the inaugural Zenith 2008 Global Citizenship Conference in May 2008. The event brought together more than 400 high school and university students and young businesspeople to discuss themes relevant to today's youth in hopes of developing more aware global citizens.

Amy Giroux vice-president of Global Vision says they look for well-rounded youth who are involved in their communities. "Colin submitted an impressive application form in which he spoke about how he was going to give back to the community upon his return from the mission

“Among his adventures,” said Giroux, “Chau will get to meet with the president and first lady of Panama.. at a time when Canada is looking to sign a free trade agreement with the country."

Global Vision is a nonprofit organization, which aims to create lasting partnerships between governments, business and educational institutes to train young Canadians as future leaders in various sectors around the world. Giroux’s father, a former Canadian Member of Parliament founded the organization in 1991 as a call to top young leaders”

The team will be accompanied by Terry Clifford, President and Founder of Global Vision, and his wife, Elizabeth Ann; Amy Giroux, and Terrence Clifford, Director of Operations

Students forming the team come from: Simon Fraser University, University of Saskatchewan, Queen's University, York University. University of Western Ontario, University of New Brunswick, Auburn Drive High School, and Memorial University

Their itinerary will include visits to Manzanillo, the Colon Free Zone, The Canal and Howard Development and meetings with government and business leaders. A tight busy schedule. Good for Canada. Good for Panama.