Premier launches U.S. trade campaign
Wynne to attend meeting with state governors, saying cross-border ties are ‘critical’
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is going on a charm offensive with U.S. governors to keep trade flowing stateside in the new protectionist Trump era. Wynne, who met with Canada’s ambassador to Washington, David MacNaughton, on Wednesday at Queen’s Park, said relations with U.S. states are on the front burner.
The premier said she would travel to the National Governors Association meeting in Rhode Island for the July 13-16 summit of state leaders.
In October, she and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will co-host a summit of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence governors and premiers in Detroit and Windsor.
“Ontario-U.S. trade is critical for our businesses and our workers,” Wynne said, noting each day there is more than $1billion of trade between the province and American states.
“Last month, I sent letters to the 27 governors of states that rank Ontario as a top customer, underlining the positive impact our trade creates for U.S. and Canadian workers.
“Our government is taking several steps to ensure Ontario workers and businesses are well represented going forward.”
While the premier opposed U.S. President Donald Trump’s candidacy during the U.S. election in November, she has maintained close ties with Snyder and other border-state governors because 80 per cent of Ontario trade is with the U.S. MacNaughton welcomed Wynne’s help in promoting trade.
“I think we’ve fallen down a bit on the job in terms of convincing them about how their prosperity and our prosperity are so linked,” the ambassador said. “That’s why the reaching out — not just to Washington but to the governors and legislators right across the United States — is so important.”
Asked if he were concerned about Trump’s pledge to “tweak” the North American Free Trade Agreement, MacNaughton said he remained optimistic the accord would not be derailed.
“If we’re going to change it, we’re going to do things that are going to be good for both Canada and the United States,” he said, noting the landmark trade deal has evolved over the years. “We don’t know exactly what they’re going to want to do and where they’re going to go but I’m pretty confident. I mean, you never know in these things, but I’m quite optimistic that it’s going to be good for us.”