Premier Brian Gallant says he didn’t sleep well Tuesday night as he waited for U.S. election results to be finalized. The premier says he woke up several times to check results and says Donald Trump’s presidential victory has him concerned over trade relations.
Gallant says it’s “very crucial” for the province to have a good trading relationship with the United States.
“We believe that not only should we maintain the trading relationship that we currently have, we need to enhance it,” Gallant said.
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The premier says he may not agree with many of the president-elect’s statements on minorities and women, but says he’ll do everything possible to communicate the importance of trade between Canada and the U.S.
Gallant says New Brunswick is the most “export-oriented” province in the country. He says there are currently nine million jobs between both countries that are reliant on the current trade agreement.
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“It means that the U.S. is benefiting greatly from our trading relationship and it will be our role and other community leaders and businesses in New Brunswick and Canada to make the point to our friends, to our allies and our networks and the U.S. that this is an important trading relationship for them and for us,” Gallant said.
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Experts also concerned over election-related economic impact
University of New Brunswick Political Science Professor Donald Wright says it’s too soon to know exactly what the American election results mean in relation to New Brunswick’s economy, but he says there are risks if Trump opens up trade agreements. Wright told Global News he’s concerned what could happen if Trump launches a “radical Buy-America First” program.
Donald J. Savoie Institute Director Richard Saillant agrees the election could have negative impacts on the economy.
He says that puts the principal of free trade in jeopardy and creates economic uncertainty.
He says there’s nothing good about the economy when it comes to the impact on Atlantic Canada.
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