PLATTSBURGH -- Strong trade between Quebec and New York has somewhat protected the North Country from national and state economic issues.

Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said Tuesday's visit by Quebec Delegate General Robert Keating was an opportunity to focus on factors that help insulate the North Country from turmoil in the U.S. financial system.

BAILOUT

Douglas said he was appalled Monday, not necessarily because Congress rejected the $700 billion economic bailout but because leaders almost immediately left Washington after the vote.

The main factor that's working for the North Country -- the economic relationship with Canada and Quebec -- will continue as long as local leaders still focus on it, Douglas said.

"It's been working for us, working for our neighbors to the north and for our neighbors to the south, although not on as large a scale. Let's turn down the doom and gloom and turn up the optimism."

ECONOMIC LINKS

Keating, based in New York City, said his office watches what is happening on Wall Street closely because of the huge trade relationship between the two countries.

Trade between the United States and Canada totals about $700 billion annually, making them "the largest trading partners in the world," Keating said.

Also, New York remains Quebec's No. 1 trade partner, with about $10 billion in trade between the two entities annually. Keating said Quebec exports 75 percent of its products to the United States, which includes about 35 percent to the mid-Atlantic states.

The effect of the economic problems is lessened in Quebec and Canada because no sub-prime mortgage crisis exists there, he said. That will allow the province to spend $30 billion on new roads, schools and hospitals within the next five years.

Hydro-Quebec will also spend $30 billion during that time, he said. Electric power continues to be one of the province's largest exports to the United States.

SUMMIT COMING UP

A key part of the strong relationship has been the series of Quebec-New York Economic Summits, which started in 2001 in Plattsburgh. Douglas said these are more successful than similar events elsewhere because the partners move initiatives forward during the two years between summits.

The fourth Quebec-New York Economic Summit, to be held Nov. 17 in Montreal, will emphasize using green technology in developing the corridor, which runs from Quebec City through Montreal, Plattsburgh and Albany to New York City.