Dilkens set to defend NAFTA in Washington

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens goes to Washington, D.C., next week to talk about keeping the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dilkens is one of seven mayors and other representatives from Canadian cities invited to Washington by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, in partnership with the Strong Cities Network, for a workshop on countering violent extremism Wednesday. He’s also attending the United States Conference of Mayors 86th Winter Meeting Thursday and Friday.

The three-day trip is being paid for by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Dilkens said he welcomes the opportunity to speak with American mayors about keeping the trade agreement. He said 35 of 50 states call Canada their top customer of the goods they produce and would be harmed by the elimination of NAFTA.

“Clearly the elimination of NAFTA would have a significant effect on our local economy,” Dilkens said Friday. “In collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and other big city mayors from across Canada, we would like to make sure we are delivering all the right messages to as many key stakeholders and decision makers as we possibly can. This is the ideal time.”

The United States, Canada and Mexico are in negotiations next week in Montreal and there is concern the United States will withdraw from the trade agreement.

Dilkens will be part of a panel discussion on NAFTA and the impact of withdrawal on North American cities. Also on the panel are the mayors of Edmonton, San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, and Michael Kergin, a former Canadian Ambassador to the United States.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities had been looking for an opportunity to have Canadian mayors meet U.S. legislators and other decision makers to stress the benefits of NAFTA to both countries, Dilkens said.

Others invited include the mayors of Edmonton, Saskatoon, London, Ottawa, Gatineau, Que., and officials from Montreal and Surrey, B.C.