U.S. ambassador visiting province
An official visit to Prince Edward Island by United States Ambassador Bruce A. Heyman will lead to wide-ranging discussions during the week of the Council of the Federation meetings, says P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz.
Ghiz says the annual conference of premiers will provide an opportunity to engage in discussions about strengthening trade, investment, tourism and other initiatives with the United States.
Ghiz said the meeting will provide an opportunity to seek support for an upcoming Southeastern United States - Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS-CP) meeting to be held in P.E.I. next June.
The U.S. is Canada’s No. 1 trading partner, with two-way goods and services trade totalling $716 billion in 2013. Total investment stock between the two countries reached $670 billion last year. Prince Edward Island exports to the United States in 2013 were $635 million, 70 per cent of total exports from the province.
Following a visit to Government House, Ambassador Heyman will meet with several provincial and territorial premiers, aboriginal leaders and provincial cabinet ministers. The ambassador will participate in a business roundtable hosted by the provincial government and the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ambassador Heyman and Ambassador Gary Doer, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, will also host discussions on Canada-United States trade during the federal- provincial- territorial clerks and cabinet secretary meeting which is taking place in the province this week.
During the five-day visit, Ambassador Heyman will be joined for some of the meetings by Mrs. Vicki Heyman and Richard H. Riley, the United States Consul General in Halifax. Ghiz said these meetings will help to gain a better understanding and further P.E.I.’s relationship with the United States.
“The meeting of Canada’s premiers here in Prince Edward Island provides an outstanding opportunity to work together to advance our relationship with the United States on a broad range of areas of interest,” said Premier Ghiz. “The United States is our leading trading partner and our economies are highly interdependent, creating the need for greater co-operation and collaboration in a number of sectors.”