OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Chilian President Sebastian Pinera here on Thursday, with bilateral economic cooperation and the renewal of a strategic framework at the top of their agenda.

At a joint news conference held in the Parliament building, Harper noted bilateral trade has more than tripled since Canada signed a free trade agreement with Chile in 1997 -- the first such a deal that Chile had struck with a developed country.

Merchandise trade between the two countries reached almost 2.5 billion U.S. dollars last year, according to the Canadian Prime Minister's Office.

"Canada has also become the largest source of new direct investment in Chile over the past decade," Harper said.

The two countries agreed to several joint initiatives, including cooperation in the energy sector and a "strong commitment to responsible resource management" -- a prickly point picked up by the media.

Pinera was asked about the Chilean government's decision last Friday to fine Barrick Gold Corp. 16.4 million Canadian dollars (15.91 million U.S. dollars) and suspend the Canadian company's multibillion-dollar mining operation in the Andes Mountains for causing environmental damage.

The Chilean president said that while Canada was the "most important" foreign investor in his country, Barrick failed to comply with an environmental impact assessment, but had since agreed to improve its "behaviour with respect to the environment" in 23 areas identified by Chile.

"Canadians' investments are welcome in Chile," said Pinera, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University, "and in Chile we have a democratic system and the rule of law."

Harper and Pinera also released the Renewed Canada-Chile Strategic Partnership Framework, which will serve as a roadmap for the expansion and deepening of collaboration between their priority sectors, including sustainable development of minerals and metals, energy, science and technology, youth mobility, education and investment promotion.

In addition, Harper announced that Canadian beef has been granted full market access to Chile at an estimated value of 4.8 million dollars annually.

The South American country restricted Canadian shipments following an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) -- also known as mad cow disease -- in 2003.

Harper also said that Canada supports Chile's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2014-15.

Later in the day, Pinera met with Canadian Governor General David Johnston -- the official representative of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Canada's head of state -- who said that "Canadians and Chileans share a common vision, the one in which democracy, human rights and justice prevail."

Meanwhile, Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced that Chile and South Korea were added to a list of 37 "designated countries" to accelerate asylum procedures for nationals of these nations not normally known to produce refugees.