/R E P E A T -- Minister McKenna to promote NAFTA, in Mexico City, Houston, and Miami/

OTTAWA, Jan. 19, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is working closely with its partners in the United States and Mexico to strengthen its trade relationships and create new jobs and opportunities for workers, businesses, and middle-class families.

As part of these efforts, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, will visit Mexico City, Houston, and Miami from January 22^nd to January 24^th,  to meet with government leaders, climate scientists, and businesses to promote trade, jobs, climate solutions, and clean technology.  

In Mexico City, Minister McKenna will meet with Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, to discuss the ongoing NAFTA negotiations on the environment chapter and the Canada-Mexico collaboration on climate change and ocean health. 

In Houston and Miami, Minister McKenna will meet with government leaders and clean-technology companies to promote the importance of NAFTA as an engine of clean growth and prosperity. She will also meet with scientists working to help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, including floods and other natural disasters. 

During her visit, Minister McKenna will also host round tables with business leaders to advance opportunities for Canadian companies and workers, particularly in green technologies, and to meet with youth to discuss climate action and practical solutions to the impacts of climate change.

Quotes

"NAFTA has brought economic growth and rising standards of living for people in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. By modernizing NAFTA and working together on practical climate solutions and clean innovation, we can continue building a strong foundation for a clean-growth economy that will support our children and grandchildren."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"For 24 years, NAFTA has created opportunities, jobs, and a better life for our peoples. This is why, from day one of the negotiations, Canada has brought concrete proposals on how we can modernize NAFTA to the benefit of Canadian, American, and Mexican citizens. We are focused on achieving real progress, including in Montréal,‎ in the coming days."
– Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick Facts

• Mexico is Canada's third largest trading partner and in 2016, Canada reached a milestone with bilateral merchandise trade totalling C$40.8 billion.
• Canada and the United States share the world's longest secure border, over which approximately 400 000 people and goods and services worth US$1.8 billion cross daily.
• Canada and the United States share one of the largest trading relationships in the world. Canada is the largest market for the United States—larger than China, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined.
• Canada is the number one export destination for most American states, and cross-border trade and investment support nearly 9 million jobs in the United States.
• There are over 460 Canadian-owned companies operating in Florida, and the numbers are growing every year. These companies are directly responsible for over US$1.8 billion in salaries.
• Canada's Enbridge produces enough electricity to supply 33 000 homes in Texas, through its Keechi Wind Project—55 wind turbines with 110 megawatts of capacity—near Jacksboro, Texas.

Associated Links

• Mexico fact sheet
• Canada and United States relations
• State trade fact sheets

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada