Manitoba will open permanent office in U.S. to strengthen trade relationship: Kinew
Premier made announcement to business leaders Tuesday during state of the province speech
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.
The Monday release from the PCs proposed establishing a trade office in Washington, which the NDP government announced itself the following day.
Interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko reminded reporters of that fact Tuesday.
"You heard it here first," he said.
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Loren Remillard said he supports the trade office, too.
"It's something that we had recommended in particular, after we were part of the delegation that was in Washington. We saw first-hand the difference it makes to have a physical presence in Washington."
Other provinces, such as Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, already have full-time representation in the U.S. capital, he said.
The people Manitoba's trade delegation met with in the U.S. "could name the offices of the other provinces," Remillard said.
But "they kind of had to scratch their head a little bit and wonder: where is Manitoba?"
He hopes the people leading the new trade office understand the provincial economy, what opportunities there are and how that relates to U.S. economic strategies, he said.
Kinew said he has some candidates in mind, but looks forward to further discussions about the role.
The province will hire at least one person, or it may build a small staff team, he added.
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With files from Ian Froese