NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS ATTEND MEETING OF MIDWESTERN STATE LEGISLATORS

From 15–18 July 2018, Mr. Kerry Diotte, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG), led a delegation to the 73^rd annual meeting of the Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The other members of the delegation were Senator Victor Oh and Mr. Chandra Arya, M.P.

“The MLC’s meetings provide legislators from both Canada and the United States with an excellent opportunity to strengthen their relationships, as well as the linkages between our countries and regions within those countries,” said Mr. Diotte. “I know that members of the IPG’s delegation found the discussions to be helpful in building and enhancing those relationships, and in learning about how we can work more closely together in the Midwestern region.”

Mr. Diotte concluded: “During the meeting, there was – not unexpectedly – a great deal of discussion about the ongoing negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement and the United States’ imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada. In that context, MLC delegates’ overwhelming support for strengthening the trading relationship between Canada and the United States was encouraging. That said, important discussions also occurred about such other issues as agriculture, energy and North American manufacturing jobs.”

The MLC is a regional association of legislators from 11 U.S. states and four affiliated Canadian provinces. The purpose of the MLC is to foster regional intergovernmental cooperation in the U.S. Midwest through the joint consideration of common problems, the interchange of information and ideas, the sharing of knowledge and experience and, as appropriate, the pursuit of collaborative efforts to improve state government. Information about the MLC is available at www.csgmidwest.org.

The views expressed in this news release are specific to the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States IPG. For this reason, they may not reflect the views of U.S. counterparts.

The Canada–United States IPG aims to find points of convergence in respective national policies, to initiate dialogue on points of divergence, to encourage the exchange of information and to promote better understanding among legislators on shared issues of concern. Additional information on the IPG can be found at www.parl.gc.ca/iia/us.

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For furthur information:

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald, Senator, Co-Chair
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-995-1866

Hon. Wayne Easter, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-992-2406

Ms. Miriam Burke, Association Secretary
Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group - 613-944-4238