Atlantic premiers meet with New England governors in Boston

The Atlantic Canada premiers discussed trade and tariffs with U.S. governors in Boston.

The four premiers from Atlantic Canada gathered in Boston to discuss trade and tariffs with New England governors on Monday.

The meeting included New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier John Hogan, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec’s economic minister Christine Fréchette.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy extended the invitation to the premiers last month, seeking to strengthen the economic ties between the New England states and Canada amid the ongoing U.S. tariffs.

“The imposition of tariffs on Canadian products, it’s actually disrupting our supply chain here,” says Healey.

Representatives from Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont participated in the meeting.

“We have been good neighbours and trade partners for decades, and we continue to treasure our long-standing friendship with our neighbours in the United States,” said Holt in a news release. “New Brunswick provides essential energy, tourism and manufacturing to these states. During our meetings today, I stressed the importance of our economic and cultural ties to both our countries, while pitching opportunities to make our partnerships even stronger.”

“Our families, cultures, cuisine, languages are all entwined,” Janet Mills, governor of Maine, told CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis in a previous interview. “Especially in Maine with a 611-mile border between [us], New Brunswick, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces.”

Another thing shared by the region is a deeply intertwined energy relationship.

“I think we can tie our grids together in ways that are going to benefit both of our countries and we can build the kind of talent pools through joint training initiatives and through other partnerships that will see us through to the other side of this when we get back to normal,” said Holt.

P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz says tariffs have forced Canada to reevaluate interprovincial trade and believes a similar process could play out on the energy front between the two nations.

“We can cooperate with our friends and colleagues here in the northeast United States on a regional approach to many of the challenges we face and on economic development and strategic priorities,” said Lantz.

Premier Houston pointed to an offshore wind farm in Nova Scotia waters as a potential project. He says the facility would have enough power to keep the lights on in his province and the greater region, regardless of border.

“It’s clean, it’s reliable, it’s stable and it’s what we’re all looking for,” Houston says. “There’s all kinds of opportunity to collaborate on cost sharing on that, on research to get the cost down, to make sure it’s a more mature industry that benefits citizens.”

Tourism troubles

Healey says across the northeast United States, tourism numbers are down anywhere from 20 to 60 per cent, largely due to the lack of Canadian tourists making trips south.

When asked if they would encourage Canadians to come and visit the states to help the tourism industry, both Ford and Holt said they are telling residents in their provinces to explore Canada as opposed to heading south.

“You got to tell your leader that this is hurting the American economy,” says Holt. “This is hurting jobs in the U.S. and Canadians can’t pass that message for you.”

Healey says they will continue to market New England as a great place to visit. Mills has placed signs around Maine welcoming Canadians.

“Canadians do not deserve the expressions of disrespect that they’re receiving,” says Mills. “We honour our Canadian friends and neighbors and relationships.”