TEL AVIV — Industry Minister Tony Clement was in Israel from Nov. 14 to 18 for five days of meetings on Canada–Israel trade relations and developments in the field of water technologies.

“This year marks the 60th anniversary of relations between our two countries and the 12th anniversary of the Canada–Israel Free Trade Agreement,” Clement said in a statement before leaving for the region last week. “I am hoping that our visit may lead to even closer co-operation and serve to demonstrate to companies [in Israel] that Canada is a good place to do business.”

One of the trip highlights was Clement’s attendance at the International Water Technologies, Renewable Energy and Environmental Control Exhibition (WATEC), where he was slated to address the conference on Canada’s domestic and international initiatives in the field of water technologies.

Clement was also scheduled to meet Israeli industry and government officials to discuss issues in a number of key sectors, including communications technology, biotechnology, aerospace and defence.

He was also slated discuss bilateral trade opportunities with Israel’s minister of industry, trade and labour, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, and travel to Jerusalem to visit the Yissum Research Development Company, Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s technology transfer firm.

Clement was also scheduled to attend a roundtable on Israel’s innovation strategy and travel to Haifa to tour the Intel Development Design Center, one of the company’s largest research and design facilities.

His evening visit to Haifa on Nov. 16 was timed to coincide with the arrival of HMCS Fredericton, a Canadian frigate en route to patrol duties in the Persian Gulf. At a ceremony aboard the naval vessel, he was to host a reception to mark the 100-day countdown to the opening of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Clement was also scheduled to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, where he was to lay a wreath.