Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen has been re-elected for a two-year term as the co-chair of the Midwest Legislators U.S.-Canada relations committee. Goertzen will co-chair the committee with Indiana Senator Ed Charbonneau.
“It’s a very important time for relations between our two countries. There has been a great deal of talk about the future of trade agreements and border security and I’m excited to continue to bring a Canadian and Manitoba perspective to those discussions,” said Goertzen.
The U.S.- Canada relations committee has representatives on it from 11 mid-west States and four Canadian provinces. The committee has in past years played a key role in discussing and finding common ground on issues such as Country of Origin Labelling and cross border trade.
Goertzen noted there would be a special focus on the benefit of free and fair trade between the two countries at upcoming meetings.
“It is important to re-emphasize at the state level that Canada and the United States are as much business partners as trading partners. Products can cross the border multiple times as they are being manufactured or processed. There really is a mutual benefit to both of our nations and that will form a key part of the discussion in upcoming meetings.”
The committee will next meet in Des Moines, Iowa later this month.
