No two countries in the world share the kind of relationship like the one between the United States and Canada, Michael Wilson, Canadian Ambassador to the United States, said Tuesday at the spring board meeting of the Association of Washington Business.
The countries have a long history of cooperation and cross-border trade that benefits industries in both countries, and the ties between Canada and Washington state are particularly close, Wilson said.
Wilson also used the speach to warn against protectionism, something he said has already begun to creep into some countries, including the United States. Both countries benefit from free trade, he said, and even though it can be difficult for people to understand, trade both ways actually creates American jobs.
Canada is a larger market for U.S. goods than all 27 countries of the European Union combined - even though Europe has more than 15 times the population of Canada, he said. Canada buys four times what China buys.
Over the last two decades, Canada-U.S. trade has tripled. Last year, Canada was Washington's leading market for non-aerospace goods, more than twice as large as Japan, he said. Much of that trade is between branches of the same corporations.
"Every state in the union is benefiting by trade between the two countries," said Wilson, who noted that Canadian families and businesses are somewhat better off than their counterparts in the U.S. in part because of lower levels of household indebtedness and better banking and lending practices.
Wilson also spoke about tourism, border security and energy during the keynote address at the meeting at Spokane's Davenport Hotel.
Regarding border security, Wilson touted the enchanced driver's license that was initiated in the Northwest and emulated throughout the country. He also said Canada supports efforts to stem cross-border violence between the U.S. and Mexico, but also recognizes the need to reduce the cost of border procedures.
"A smart, efficient and secure border is important for industry," he said.
Canada and the U.S. also share a commitment to develop cleaner energy, Wilson said, adding that his country is a major partner in the United States' energy security. Spokane-based Avista buys half of its natural gas from Canada, he said, adding that it may come as a surprise that Canada holds the second-largest oil reserves in the world.
Between oil, natural gas, electricity and uranium, Canada supplies nearly 10 percent of the U.S. total energy demand, he said.
Before his speach, Wilson observed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between officials from the Western Aerospace Alliance, an association of aerospace organizations from four Canadian provinces, and the Inland NorthWest Aerospace Consortium, a Spokane-based aerospace association.
Earlier in the day, Wilson met with Gov. Chris Gregoire and state Sen. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane.
Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the U.S. since 2006, worked in investment banking for years before that, including serving as chairman of UBS Canada and vice chairman of RBC Dominion Securities. In 1979, he was elected to the House of Commons, and he was appointed Minister of Finance in 1984.
The meeting continues Tuesday evening with an address from Colleen Brown, CEO of Fisher Communications, and AWB's Community Service Awards ceremony. It concludes Wednesday morning following an address from Denise McCourt from the American Petroleum Institute, and Dr. Arun Raha, the state's chief economist and executive director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
