Businesses and advocacy groups can sign on to statement here in a growing push for mutual support, opposition to division
Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, 27 groups representing businesses and communities across Canada and the United States unveiled the following joint statement calling for continued strong cross-border cooperation, trade, and supply chains as a critical component of both countries' COVID-19 public health and economic response and recovery efforts.
The groups include Vermont's two largest chambers of commerce: Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.
"Vermont relies on a robust, integrated and accessible supply chain to support its robust manufacturing base. We are pleased to see that our state, and our partner states, are easing restrictions in accordance with the best scientific advice and principles available. We join with others in looking forward to our joint return to prosperity," said Tom Torti, President of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce [email protected]
"The Vermont Chamber's work extends to Canada, and, in partnership with our neighbors to the North, we are leveraging our cross-border contacts to identify manufacturers with excess supply and who can aid in the production of personal protection equipment (PPE) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, and in the aftermath of this crisis, we will be relying on our strong regional, international, cross-border supply-chain," said Christopher Carrigan, V.P. Business Development, Vermont Chamber of Commerce [email protected]
The groups, led by the Canadian American Business Council, also unveiled a new advocacy portal that will allow other businesses and organizations to sign on to the statement and make their voices heard:
"The COVID-19 public health and economic crisis has been devastating for workers, families, and businesses across Canada and America. As both countries work to keep citizens safe and help businesses and workers get back on their feet, it is clearer than ever that a unified manufacturing supply chain between Canada, and the United States must be protected and strengthened.
"While cross-border cooperation has long been a key component of both countries' economic prosperity, this crisis has highlighted the critical need to maintain the fluid border that is essential to many critical sectors that cross national boundaries. In addition, the urgent need for critical medical supplies to move seamlessly across our borders to get to where they are needed most has exposed key vulnerabilities in our manufacturing ecosystem that must be addressed.
"The longstanding partnership between Canada and the United States – ranging from logistics, to economics, to geopolitics, and more – is a key strategic asset to both countries, now more than ever before, Many critical sectors depend on trade between our two countries – including medical equipment, food and agriculture; communications and energy; automotive and industrial; transit equipment and aerospace; law enforcement and first responders.
"More than any two countries in the world, the U.S. and Canada make things together as integrated economic partners. The U.S. sells more goods to Canada than to any country - more than it sells to China, Japan and the UK combined.
"That is why we believe that both countries must stand strong for a common cross-border manufacturing response as we tackle the COVID-19 public health crisis and help our shared economies rebuild and recover.
"Specifically, we believe that our two countries must continue to work together on a collaborative manufacturing response to COVID-19, to achieve the following objectives:
- Securing the availability of personal protection equipment (PPE) in both countries;
- Designing Canada-US manufacturing solutions to replenish and maintain strategic stockpiles of medical equipment;
- Continuing to ensure people and goods cross the border efficiently without interrupting our critical supply chains;
- Expanding market opportunities between our two countries in order to spur recovery and compete globally.
"Maintaining an open and efficient supply chain through and beyond COVID-19 will save lives and help us in the fight against this pandemic. It will provide the infrastructure required for jumpstarting the economy to compete with other regions of the world in a rapidly-changing global economic environment.
"We stand with a growing number of businesses, workers, and advocacy organizations to urge our governments and all American and Canadians to stand together in the global marketplace, push aside those who would divide us, and meet our global competition head-on."
Association of Oil Pipelines
Andrew Black, President & CEO
BIOTECanada
Andrew Casey, President & CEO
Business Council of Canada
Goldy Hyder, President & CEO
Canadian American Business Council.
Maryscott Greenwood, CEO
Canada Arizona Business Council
Glenn Williamson, Founder & CEO
CanAm Border Trade Alliance
James D. Philips, President & CEO
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
Dennis Darby, President & CEO
Canadian Pharmacists Association
Glen Doucet, CEO
Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance
Toby Mack, President & CEO
Government of Ontario
Ian Todd, Ontario's Representative in Washington, D.C.
Earl Provost, Ontario Agent General in Chicago, Illinois
Jag Badwall, Ontario Agent General in Dallas, Texas
Government of Quebec
Catherine Loubier, Québec's Delegate General in New York
Marie-Claude Francoeur, Quebec's Delegate in Boston
Martine Hebert, Quebec's Delegate in Chicago
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Joe Reardon, President & CEO
International Business Council, Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Laura Ortega, Executive Director
Innovative Medicines Canada
Pamela C. Fralick, President
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
Tom Torti, President
Medtech Canada
Brian Lewis, President
New England Canada Business Council
Jon F Sorenson, President
New Hampshire Canadian Trade Council
Senator Lou D'Allesandro, Chair
North Country Chamber of Commerce
Garry Douglas, President & CEO
Ohio-Canada Business Association
Dan Ujczo, President
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Rocco Rossi, President & CEO
Quebec's Federation of Chambers of Commerce
Charles Milliard, President & CEO
The Business Council of New York State, Inc
Heather C. Briccetti, President & CEO
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Honourable Perrin Beatty, P.C., O.C., President & CEO
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Neil Herrington, Senior Vice President for the Americas
Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Christopher Carrigan, V.P. Business Development
Women In Trucking Association
Ellen Voie, President & CEO
SOURCE WASHINGTON, May 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian American Business Council http://www.cabc.co