5 days Ago By Norman Brandson
The news that Manitoba will establish a trade office in Washington in the wake of president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a crippling 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada could simply be a continuation of the rather unseemly stampede of provincial premiers to be seen to be doing something about something they can’t do anything about. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The news that Manitoba will establish a trade office in Washington in the wake of president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a crippling 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada could simply be a continuation of the rather unseemly stampede of provincial premiers to be seen to be doing something about something they can’t do anything about. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion The news that Manitoba will establish a trade office in Washington in the wake of president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a crippling 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada could simply be a continuation of the rather unseemly stampede of provincial premiers to be seen to be doing something about something they can’t do anything about.
But actually, whether or not the Trump tariff materializes, this is a shrewd move if it signals the re-entry of Manitoba into a field to which the previous government paid relatively little attention — relations with our southern neighbors. Our constitution assigns international relations to the federal government. But even if the big brains in Ottawa were steering our foreign policy resolutely and effectively — and they most certainly are not — there is a very useful role that provincial governments can play, and have played, to contribute to effective Canada-U.
S. relations. There are a host of cross-border issues that directly affect individual provinces.
If those issues affect Ontario or Quebec, you can rest assured, they will receive prompt and lavish attention from Ottawa. Smaller fry like Manitoba often have to push the federal government to represent our interests in Washington. There are several ways that provincial governments can make a positive contribution to Canada’s relationship with the United States.
Manitoba is better positioned than Ottawa as source of information about developments in Minnesota and North Dakota that can have impacts in Canada. This has certainly been the case regarding water issues like Garrison diversion and cross-border nutrient pollution, but also in identifying opportunities for cooperative action on matters like flood forecasting and mitigation. Manitoba can make the case for government of Canada’s involvement in issues important to the province but not necessarily on the national radar; and can be useful partners and a valuable resource to Ottawa as has been the case on negotiating a flood management agreement on the Souris River or engaging the International Joint Commission in follow-up to the 1997 Red River flood of the century.
Manitoba can make its voice heard directly in Washington sometimes more effectively than federal diplomats, being closer to an issue with direct impact on the province. This has been the case with respect to softwood lumber tariffs, country of origin labelling that posed a threat to Manitoba agriculture, and numerous water issues. Manitoba can have a relationship with state governments — and much of the progressive action on issues like climate change is occurring at the state level — not easily accessible to the federal government.
This can have a number of benefits including partnerships on issues of mutual interest; early warning of developments at the state level that can affect Canada; and opportunities for cooperation on matters like flood control and forest fire suppression. If Manitoba is to take a more active role in Canada-U.S.
relations — and there are many good reasons why we should — a trade office is just one piece of a strategic initiative with several components. 1. Send a strong signal from our intergovernmental affairs unit to Global Affairs Canada that there are several transboundary issues of importance to Manitoba that are not receiving attention from Ottawa, and Manitoba intends to become more active in these issues.
Canada’s abandonment of the Boundary Waters Treaty is unacceptable and we should be pushing hard for federal engagement in cross-border water issues like the currently-under-construction Red River Valley Water Supply project and nutrient pollution of Lake Winnipeg. 2. Breathe new life into the province’s relationship with the Canadian Consulate in Minneapolis.
This has been a mutually beneficial partnership in the past — recall that former Winnipeg mayor Susan Thompson served as Counsel General for several years — that has been allowed to atrophy. Many of our trade links are with our near neighbors in the Midwest. 3.
Rejuvenate Manitoba’s participation in the annual Western Governors Association meetings. Part of this initiative may involve attempting to inject some life in the Western Premier’s conference that was the basis for the original relationship with the governors, and that has merit on its own given that large parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan are in the Hudson Bay drainage basin. Alberta’s Premier Smith has recently been communing with the governors in Las Vegas; such efforts are much more effective if western Canada can approach their U.
S. counterparts as a team. 4.
Establish a Manitoba presence in Washington. Every state and several provinces have offices in DC because that’s where the action is. Over the next four years, action affecting Canada-US relations is likely to be intense and fraught.
The most valuable functions of a “trade” office are not likely to be directly related to trade. These include establishing a close working relationship with our embassy, the institution that will be presenting Canada’s case on issues affecting all provinces, collectively and individually; and getting to know the what, when, who and why of potential threats. Premier WabKinew has already wisely recognized the value of involving Gary Doer, Canada’s most effective ambassador to the U.
S. in living memory, in this process. Premier Doer established relationships with lawmakers and officials in DC and a climate of mutual trust that led to Canada gaining a very solid understanding of initiatives that might affect us, and an early opportunity to present our views before positions hardened.
Not a bad plan for our Washington office. Advertisement Advertisement.
