The Notley government won’t sit idle during an escalating trade war triggered by United States President Donald Trump, says Alberta’s trade minister.
Deron Bilous, Alberta’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade, is in Washington State Wednesday to promote the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and oppose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Bilous is the keynote speaker Wednesday at the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region annual summit in Washington State.
In Seattle to build support for pipelines and opposition to U.S. trade tariffs. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ableg</a> <a href=”https://t.co/qrZl0Kuhvq”>pic.twitter.com/qrZl0Kuhvq</a>
—@DeronBilous
“We can look at enhancing trade between our jurisdictions, forming deeper partnerships, instead of sitting on the sidelines, waiting and watching what the president is doing,” Bilous said in a phone interview from Spokane, Washington on Tuesday.
“We are voicing our concerns, we are engaging with industry at all levels to ensure the White House, the president and administration understands how integrated our economies are, how important trade is.”
‘Singing from the same song book’
The annual conference presents Canadian politicians and business leaders an opportunity to engage with their U.S. counterparts — particularly those who share the same opinion on the tariffs, and understand that the Canadian and U.S. economies are intrinsically linked, Bilous said.
Bilous has thrown his support behind the federal government’s decision to slap $16.6 billion of tariffs on a long list of U.S products.
He said the tariffs hurt people on both sides of the border — and opposition to them crosses political lines.
The counter-tariff list, which went into effect last month, was created in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on Canadian steel aluminum.
“We’ve definitely seen support from both sides of the aisle in favour of trade, those who opposed the president’s protectionist views and policies.”
“We’re all singing from the same song book. Republicans and Democrats who all oppose the president’s protectionist views, and are in opposition to putting up tariffs and walls between our two countries. They understand how integrated our economies are.”