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Canadians leave Mexico confident about energy future

TOLUCA, Mexico, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Canadian government sees a "significant opportunity" to expand its energy partnership with Mexico, Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said.

Oliver joined Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for trade talks with the Mexican government. Harper has said he's eager to add a layer of diversity to a Canadian energy market that relies almost entirely on the United States.

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Oliver's office said an agreement was reached with state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, known also as PEMEX, to develop ways to reduce the environment footprint of the oil and natural gas industry.

"Canada continues to achieve impressive progress in trade, investment, innovation and scientific collaboration with Mexico," Oliver said Wednesday in a statement. "We see significant opportunity to expand on this important relationship through greater energy cooperation."

Oliver said the partnership agreement could help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the oil and gas industry by more than 1.3 million tons per year.

U.S. President Barack Obama joined Harper and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for the summit. They issued a joint statement describing energy as a "trilateral priority."

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"Developing and securing affordable, clean and reliable energy supplies can drive economic growth and support sustainable development, as we shift towards a low carbon energy future," the statement said.

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