Upon learning that, according to news releases from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Prime Minister’s agenda for his trade mission to Japan would focus on the automotive sector and little else, Chris Warkentin, Member of Parliament for Grande Prairie – Mackenzie, shared his frustration that industries important to Alberta were left off the agenda.
“The Peace Country, along with the rest of Alberta, is home to world-class agriculture, forestry and energy industries,” Warkentin said. “Japan is a major consumer of these products and I had hoped that the Prime Minister would have taken the opportunity to highlight these sectors, but he didn’t.”
Japan consumes over 1 million tonnes of beef every year and uses 4.3 million barrels of oil per day. Japan currently imports 4 million tonnes of Canadian grain and imports $1.5 billion of Canadian softwood lumber.
“These bilateral meetings are important opportunities to strengthen and expand our trading opportunities,” Warkentin said. “I am disappointed that Prime Minister Trudeau chose to focus on only the auto sector and ignore opportunities to expand our agricultural, softwood and energy exports to Japan.”
For more information, please contact Chris Warkentin, MP (780) 538-1677