The Manitoba government has announced that it has created a U.S. Trade Council to support its preparations for potential U.S. tariffs.
“Our government has been preparing for a Trump administration since day one,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “It’s why we brought former premier Gary Doer to advise on U.S. trade and we will stand up a Manitoba trade office in Washington this spring. We are continuing to make the case to our American counterparts that trade with Manitoba creates good jobs on both sides of the border. Premiers across Canada are united on that front.”
The U.S. Trade Council has representation from a range of industries across Manitoba and sectors of the province. Those members include:
- Bea Bruske, president, Canadian Labour Congress;
- Kurt Buehler, group president, MacDon Industries and Linamar Agriculture;
- Chuck Davidson, president and CEO, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce;
- Stacy Kennedy, director of operations, Vale, and president, Mining Association of Manitoba;
- Ryan Kuffner, president and CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg;
- Andrea Ladouceur, president, Bioscience Association of Manitoba;
- Ash Modha, founder and CEO, Mondetta Clothing;
- Gerry Price, chair and CEO, Price Industries;
- Mike Pulak, area co-ordinator, United Steelworkers (USW) Manitoba;
- Mike Pyle, CEO, Exchange Income Corporation;
- Kevin Rebeck, president, Manitoba Federation of Labour;
- Loren Remillard, president and CEO, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce;
- Paul Soubry, president and CEO, NFI Group Inc.;
- Bram Strain, president and CEO, Business Council of Manitoba;
- Jill Verwey, president, Keystone Agricultural Producers; and
- Gustavo Zentner, president, International Point of Commerce (InterPOC); vice-president, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).
Many of the members of the U.S. Trade Council were a part of the trade mission the Manitoba government took to Washington, D.C., in April 2024, the premier added.
The trade council builds on the previous announcement of a Manitoba trade office in Washington, which will provide a permanent presence in the American capital and have a direct line to government, the premier noted.