PLATTSBURGH — The latest on North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations was largely the topic when Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and a delegation from the North Country visited Canada's capital city of Ottawa.
The recent trip was timely and worthwhile, North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said.
"The North Country's economic relationship with Canada is the single greatest driving force in the region's economy, forming the basis of its greatest progress in recent years and holding its greatest economic opportunities for the future," he said in a press release.
"With recent uncertainties surrounding the future of U.S.-Canada economic relations, it is an especially important time to be meeting and collaborating with our northern partners, and the meetings we obtained were high level and very substantive."
AMBASSADOR TO U.S.
Douglas was a member of the delegation, which also included former Congressman Bill Owens, Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance President and CEO James Phillips, The Development Corporation President and CEO Paul Grasso, Franklin County Economic Development Director Russ Kinyon, Franklin County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Jeremy Evans, U.S. Embassy Economic Specialist Ken Crist and representatives of St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties and others.
The North Country Chamber had sought Stefanik's assistance in securing a meeting with new U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft, and that led to the official visit to Ottawa, Douglas said.
EXPANDED AWARENESS
The trade mission comprised "an aggressive program of meetings and discussions that included Canada's chief NAFTA negotiator, (Steve Nerheul), a caucus of Canadian M.P.s committed to our shared border, a roundtable discussion with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and a private luncheon for our group with Ambassador Craft at the ambassador's residence, among other sessions," he said.
The group attended a briefing with Nerheul, who is also Canada's assistant deputy minister for trade policy; a meeting with the Conservative Border Caucus chaired by Member of Parliament Colin Carrie; and a session with Parliamentary Secretary Andrew Leslie, who is also a member of parliament.
Douglas said the delegation returned to the North Country with up-to-date insights on NAFTA negotiations and other matters, an expanded awareness in Ottawa of the North Country's unique place in cross-border business and investment and a number of valuable new relationships.
'CRITICAL TO REGION'
Other topics of the day included U.S.-Canada preclearance at the border and dairy issues, according to a press release from the congresswoman's office.
"In the North Country, our relationship with Canada is critical to the economic success of our region," Stefanik said. "It was clear from our meetings that both sides have a clear interest in partnering together to benefit our region, and these meetings were a great opportunity to share ideas and make plans."
The congresswoman serves on the House of Representatives Northern Border Caucus.
This was the third group visit to Canada led by Stefanik with the North Country Chamber; earlier, delegations made two trips to Montreal.
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