Manitoba will open permanent office in U.S. to strengthen trade relationship: Kinew
CBC
Premier Wab Kinew said his government plans to open a permanent office in Washington to strengthen its trade relationship with the U.S.
Kinew announced the economic development strategy to business and community leaders on Tuesday, as he delivered his second state of the province address at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg.
The new office will open early in the new year, he said.
"Using this new investment in the United States of America, we're going to ensure that that message that we're a trusted partner, [and] a safe and secure source of critical minerals for the next generation, is heard loud and clear as we begin to work with the Trump administration 2.0," he said.
The announcement comes just over a week after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products entering his country from Canada and Mexico after he takes office in January, unless they stem the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders.
The premier said the trade office will strengthen ties with decision-makers and industries in the states where Manitoba has strong connections, such as Illinois, Minnesota, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.
The Manitoba government is taking the threat of tariffs seriously to protect the economy and jobs within the province, he said.
"It's clear that the critical minerals, the energy and the [agriculture] products, manufactured goods that we have are absolutely essential to American economic success," Kinew said.
The province is working to find people who represent the NDP's values and can "speak the language" of the Trump administration, and who are "dare I say it, a little 'Trumpy,'" Kinew said.
They will be looped into the economic development strategy and communicate with cabinet ministers and the premier.
"We're a province that when we work together, we can move mountains, so let's work together and navigate this new Trump era and continue to ensure there's opportunity, positivity and a bright future for all of us here in Manitoba," Kinew said.
A trade office was recommended by the NDP government's business and jobs council, which was created last December.
A sub-committee of the council on U.S. trade travelled to Washington with Kinew and other ministers earlier this year, he said.
In a statement Monday, the Opposition Progressive Conservative asked the NDP government to create an all-party committee to develop a strategy to support the province's economy following the threatened new U.S. tariffs. It would also assist the federal government with strengthening Manitoba's border to address U.S. concerns regarding illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.
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