Cross border challenges for Canadian businesses seeking U-S markets requires extra effort in today’s protectionist American economic climate.
That was one of the messages from a panel discussion to open the Pacific Northwest Economic Region Summit in Saskatoon.
A Former Canadian Ambassador to the United States told the close to 500 delegates Canadian economic leaders and government representatives need to put on a full court press.
Micheal Kergin says Canadian interests need to seek out and solicit the support of American counterparts who would benefit from working together.
Kergin points out American partners can vote on political issues in the U-S and lobby American decision makers.
The former Ambassador also stresses it’s essential for private enterprise to form relationships.
Kergin says American municipalities who have cross-border agreements in areas like fire fighting have experience dealing with federal officials who are enforcing tight border restrictions.
He believes Canadian companies can wade through a “Buy American” policy by forming mutually advantageous alliances.
Two former U.S. Ambassadors to Canada joined Kergin on the opening panel.
David Jacobson and David Wilkins as well as Kergin commented on the current free-trade agreement between The U.S. Canada and Mexico that replaced NAFTA.
Jacobson feels the new deal isn’t much different than NAFTA while Wilkins believes there are many improvements. Kergin added the new deal brings the free trade pact into the modern age with provisions for E-commerce.
However none of the three former Ambassadors think it will be fully ratified by 2020 because of the divisive American political landscape.
Wilkins says American politicians have bigger problems to deal with and the trade deal will fall down the legislative agenda.
Kergin and Jacobson are concerned President Donald Trump could exercise his authority to withdraw from the agreement and Kergin added Canada doesn’t want to go back to square one and renegoitate yet another free trade agreement.
