Sarah Mills: We came so close to the zipper merge
Three block of two lanes of traffic merging one by one, with everyone inching forward. It was the zipper merge in action...
For the first time as Premier, Scott Moe will be heading down to the U.S. to meet with governors to discuss trade between the nations.
Moe said that the continued NAFTA negotiations will be the major topic discussed at the meetings because of how many people are affected by it.
“It affects 480 million people in North America. We here in Saskatchewan export about $29 billion, last year on average about $30 billion worth of product and about 65 per cent of that heads into the United States.”
Moe will also want to stress the importance of ensuring product can get to market, whether it be by rail or pipelines.
He will also be championing the province’s carbon capture technology to the U.S. much like former premier Brad Wall did.
“If we truly are going to address climate change worldwide, carbon capture and storage is going to be a part of that,” Moe said. “Its been identified by a number of different groups and initiates that that is the case.”
Along with NAFTA and other trade talks, Moe said one of his goals as a new Premier is to continue to foster relationships between the U.S. governors and the government of Saskatchewan and to form new ones.
“As well as to have some real active discussions on how we do create wealth in this province and that is through exports and through market access.”
The summit will also be the first time that Moe will sit down face-to-face with his Alberta counterpart Rachel Notley. Moe said he is looking forward to having discussions about Western Canada with Notley.
“Our industries, the opportunities to further streamline regulations across our provinces, as well we may talk about pipelines.”
The meetings take place in Arizona from May 4-6 and will include representatives from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
