Wynne plans Israel, West Bank trip
Premier aims to boost trade with Middle East
Premier Kathleen Wynne is headed to Israel and the West Bank to boost Ontario trade.
Wynne, who leaves Saturday, will be the first premier to visit the region since Dalton McGuinty’s successful 2010 trip, which led to the creation of the Ontario Brain Institute, a leader in neuroscience research.
“This mission is . . . an opportunity to leverage our relationship with Israel to build more substantive commercial partnerships, particularly in the life sciences sector,” she said last week.
“Jurisdictions from around the world are aggressively promoting their economies on the world business stage, and in order to remain competitive, Ontario needs to do the same,” said Wynne, who was also inIndia this year and has twice visited China since 2014.
“Israel is a priority market for Ontario for trade and research — in 2015, two-way trade between Ontario and Israel was valued at over $900 million, making Israel one of Ontario’s largest trading partners in the Middle East,” she said.
Joining Wynne on a trip that officially kicks off Sunday and continues through Friday are representatives from nine Ontario universities, numerous medical science and technology companies, law firms, unions, and businesses like Roots, BlackBer- ry,and Scotiabank.
“Growing the economy and creating jobs in Ontario is my No. 1 priority,” the premier said in a statement Friday.
“My mission to the Middle East will support collaboration in innovation, attract new investments, create partnerships and generate jobs in our province.”
Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Research, Innovation, and Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Reza Moridi, MPP Monte Kwinter (York Centre), and Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey will also be with Wynne.
The Israel part of the mission will take them to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa before Ramallah and Bethlehem in the West Bank.
Like McGuinty, Wynne will be granted an audience with the most senior Israeli and Palestinian political officials.
In 2010, the former premier met with then president Shimon Peres at Beit Hanassi, the presidential palace in Jerusalem, and privately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
McGuinty also spent time with the Palestinian Authority’s then-prime minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah.