Rachel Notley says she will visit Washington, D.C. from Feb. 26 to March 1 to make the case for the importance of cross-border trade.
The Alberta premier plans to meet with political and industry leaders as well as members of think tanks and officials with the Canadian embassy.
READ MORE: Notley to promote Alberta and trade ties during visit to Washington
Notley is hoping to get clarity on the Trump administrations plans for trade while also reiterating how beneficial Alberta’s economy is to the U.S.
“Trade with the United States represents a significant part of our economy and we need to make sure that those interests are protected,” Notley said at a news conference earlier this month.
She has spent the last month speaking with industry leaders in Alberta, gathering advice on how to make the best case for our province south of the border.
In 2015, trade between the U.S. and Alberta totalled more than $100 billion, and nearly $81 billion of that were exports from our province. $20 billion came north into Alberta as imports.
“The trade relationships that we have in place supports strong job creation in the U.S. and also here in Canada,” Notley said. “That’s what we’re here to protect and that’s what we’re here to stand up for – to protect those interests and those jobs.”
READ MORE: Premier Notley meets with Alberta business leaders to discuss U.S. trade relationship
Canada West Foundation spokesperson Martha Hall Findlay said the premier needs to keep selling Alberta to the Americans.
“She needs to open as many lines of communication as she can. She needs to work with the business sector here. She needs to work with the industries that may be affected,” Hall Findlay said.
Notley has also been discussing the possibility of meeting between U.S. policy makers and multiple premier later this year.
She will be in Washington for four days. The trip cost for Notley, three political staffers, one public servant and security detail is approximately $42,000.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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