NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MEET WITH U.S. WESTERN GOVERNORS AT THEIR SUMMER MEETING

From 26–28 June 2017, the Honourable Wayne Easter, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair of the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG), led a delegation to the 2017 summer meeting of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) in Whitefish, Montana. The other delegates were Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Vice-Chair, Mr. Randy Hoback, M.P., Mr. Larry Maguire, M.P. and Mr. Randeep Sarai, M.P.

“I know that I reflect the views of all members of the delegation from the IPG’s Canadian Section in saying how pleased we were to be able to attend the WGA’s 2017 summer meeting, and – more particularly – to be able to have a substantive meeting with most of the WGA governors attending the meeting,” said Mr. Easter. “We were able to speak with them about such important Canada–U.S. topics as renegotiation of NAFTA, bilateral trade in softwood lumber and trade in agricultural products, among others.”

Mr. Easter concluded: “Of course, members of the delegation also benefited from the informative presentations and discussions at the WGA’s meeting. A number of the topics are important to the future health and prosperity of both of our countries. I am thinking, for example, about economic development, energy and cybersecurity. Certainly, these are among the broad range of areas where I think our two countries could work more closely together for our joint benefit.”

The WGA includes the governors from 19 states in the U.S. West, as well as from American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Canadian premiers from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba also participate in the WGA’s activities. More information on the WGA can be found at www.westgov.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 Group can be found at www.parl.ca/iia/us.

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For further 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