User:Eastmain/Canada-Fiji trade issues

Notes for Canada-Fiji trade issues, taken from a biography article likely to be deleted for non-notability.

Ashwant Dwivedi is a Fijian businessperson and former diplomat. He was the Business Development Manager at the Fiji Embassy (Washington, D.C.).

Ashwant Dwivedi was commissioned as the Head of Business Development for the Fiji High Commission to Canada. He is also a former senior journalist with Fiji's national newspaper the Fiji Times and the Daily Post. He was appointed as Fiji's first Head of Business Development manager to Canada on 13 June 2006.

Education
Ashwant Dwivedi obtained his University qualifications from Commonwealth of Australia. In 1992 he was awarded certificates of distinction in mathematics and chemistry by the University of Canberra. In the years 1992, 1993 and 1994 Ashwant won the best orator awards at the national level in Fiji. He also received the best debate team leader award in 1993. He was awarded the best Hindi orator award by the Cultural attache' of the Indian government in 1993.

Employment
Commissioned by the Fiji Embassy in Canada in his role as the Business Development Manager http://www.fijiembassydc.com/default.asp?contentID=739 Ashwant is reported to be a first ever senior official appointed for the Fiji Embassy on a full-time basis in Canada. An aggressive business leader he turned Fiji's export into double in a one-year period since taking the office in 2006. On Wednesday June 4, 2008 the Fiji Times quoted government of Canada reports that Fijis trade with Canada was record high valued at $12.8 million (CAD) while in 2007 Fijis total export to Canada was recorded at $11,198,866 CAD. In previous years the trade was reported at a low of $6 to CAD $2.8 million million dollars.

In 2007 Mr. Dwivedi with the assistance of the Attorney General of Fiji instigated a legal challenge against a Canadian company that was using Fiji on its Label for canned fish that did not originate from Fiji. The office of the Prime Minister in Fiji with the support of the Fiji Embassy to Canada challenged the application of the Canadian company preventing it from using the FIJI brand. In 2008 the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) stated in its decision that the Canadian company seeking brand registration has abandoned the claim under Section 38(7)of the CIPO act and the matter is now closed. Fiji's national Television station, Fiji TV praised Mr. Dwivedi for his outstanding contribution by bringing the matter to the attention of Fiji authorities. The Fiji Times and other national media in Fiji also reported on the matter. Source

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office decision on the above matter can be located at

Despite his resignation from the Fiji Embassy, Ashwant Dwivedi is respected as a strong proponent of promoting a stronger trade and commerce relationship between Fiji and Canada.