Trade Minister Geoff MacLellan will attend the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Aug. 12-14 in Stowe, Vermont. The agenda includes discussions on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), energy, electric vehicle innovation and Canada-U.S. relations.

“I look forward to attending this year’s meeting as it presents a timely opportunity to talk about Nova Scotia and New England’s mutually beneficial trading partnership,” said Mr. MacLellan. “It is important to maintain a strong relationship with our closest trading partners and state governors, particularly in light of NAFTA negotiations.”

The value of Nova Scotia exports to New England is about $1 billion annually – almost 29 per cent of the province’s total exports to the United States.

Mr. MacLellan is attending the conference on behalf of Premier Stephen McNeil, who was recently in Washington, D.C., for trade discussions.

The conference was established in 1973 in recognition of the special bond that exists between the six New England states and the five Eastern Canadian provinces.

Source: Release