Canada's Premiers to attend the National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C.

OTTAWA, Feb. 5, 2020 /CNW/ - Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, as Chair of the Council of the Federation, will participate in the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, alongside Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Québec Premier François Legault, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. The 2020 NGA Winter Meeting will take place in Washington, D.C. on February 7-10.

This meeting is expected to focus on infrastructure as a foundation for success, a driver of local economies and an opportunity for investment and job creation on both sides of the border. On Saturday, February 8, a roundtable session entitled Domestic and International Innovations for Modernizing America's Infrastructure will take place between premiers and governors. Premiers will also have bilateral meetings with U.S. governors on key province-state issues, including supporting economic growth and job creation.

On the heels of recent ratification of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in the U.S., the aim of the visit is to strengthen relationships with American political leaders, especially U.S. governors, and to highlight the role that provinces play in ensuring an integrated North American economic, security and trading relationship. Premiers recently urged the Government of Canada and all federal parliamentarians to move quickly to ratify this agreement. Once ratified, the focus will be on exploring ways to expand trade and investment among all North American partners while ensuring workers and businesses truly benefit from the Agreement. Premiers continue to prioritize engagement with the U.S. to deal with other trade issues such as Buy American policies and the softwood lumber dispute.

"I am pleased to participate in the upcoming NGA Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. with fellow Premiers," said Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. "I look forward to enhancing relationships with U.S. governors, while exchanging ideas on infrastructure best practices. I am a big proponent of growth to invest in a better quality of life for our citizens, which includes building and upgrading current infrastructure. We look forward to sharing with and learning from our American counterparts."

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, current NGA Chair, will lead an NGA Study Tour to Toronto from April 21-23 to delve deeper into Canadian infrastructure success stories and reinforce relationships between governors and premiers.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians.

SOURCE Canada's Premiers