Minister Ng congratulates Katherine Tai on her confirmation as United States Trade Representative

On March 17, 2021, the Honourable Mary Ng, Canadian Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, issued the following statement:

“I would like to congratulate Katherine Tai on her historic confirmation as the new United States trade representative. Ambassador Tai has extensive experience and deep knowledge of matters of international trade.

“The United States is Canada’s closest friend and ally and our most important trade partner. Our deeply integrated supply chains strengthen North American security and competitiveness and support jobs, workers, and industry on both sides of the border.

“I look forward to working with Ambassador Tai on key trade issues, including the implementation of the new NAFTA, our shared commitment to further advance labour issues and climate priorities, our work to strengthen the multilateral rules-based trade system and modernize the WTO, and our pursuit of an inclusive trade agenda.

“As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Joe Biden recently announced in the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership, we will also work closely together to develop a strategy to enhance Canada-United States supply chain security and to reinforce our deeply interconnected and mutually beneficial economic relationship.

“Our 2 countries continue to work together to keep our supply chains open and resilient in our collaborative efforts to fight the global COVID-19 pandemic and build back better with a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery that strengthens the middle class.”

Quick facts

• Canada and the United States benefit from a trillion-dollar trade and investment relationship that supports millions of middle-class jobs on both sides of the border.
• Canada is the United States’ largest customer and buys more goods from the United States than do China, Japan and the United Kingdom combined.
• Canada is the number one international customer for more than 32 states.
• In 2019, approximately 77% of Canada’s exports to the United States were goods used in the production of other goods.