The Surrey Board of Trade welcomes the Government of Canada’s decision to re-establish the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations, recognizing this as an essential step to addressing ongoing trade challenges and supporting Canadian businesses reliant on a strong and stable economic partnership with the United States. This decision is consistent with a Surrey Board of Trade policy asking for this to occur.
“Our economic futures are deeply intertwined, and we must take decisive steps to safeguard Canadian interests,” said Jasroop Gosal, Interim Spokesperson and Policy & Research Manager at the Surrey Board of Trade. “The trade tensions of recent years and beyond have shown that Canada must utilize every tool at its disposal to put the interests of Canadians and our economy at the forefront.”
While the challenges of the past five years—under both the Trump and Biden administrations—will not disappear overnight, Canada’s business community stands ready to engage directly in constructive dialogue with the committee. Certain U.S. policy decisions have negatively impacted Canadian jobs and businesses, underscoring the need for Canada to assertively protect its economic interests. One such measure includes leveraging existing trade legislation, such as Section 53 of the Customs Tariff, to strengthen Canada’s trade position when needed.
The Surrey Board of Trade urges that chambers of commerce and boards of trade be involved in committee meetings and related discussions to ensure a voice for the business community. With direct participation, organizations like ours can better convey the on-the-ground impacts of policy changes and provide insights that will inform government decisions.
“As one of Canada’s largest boards of trade and representing a border city, the Surrey Board of Trade stands ready to relay critical information and feedback from the business community, helping Canada strengthen its economic relationship with the U.S.”
The re-established committee is chaired by Chrystia Freeland, with Dominic LeBlanc as Vice-Chair, and includes members Anita Anand, Bill Blair, François-Philippe Champagne, Mélanie Joly, Lawrence MacAulay, Marc Miller, Mary Ng, Harjit S. Sajjan, and Jonathan Wilkinson.
Read the full SBOT policy here: https://businessinsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USE-EXISTING-TRADE-LAWS-TO-BENEFIT-CANADA%E2%80%99S-INTERESTS-1.pdf
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Jasroop Gosal, 604-634-0345, jasroop@businessinsurrey.com
