Premier Wab Kinew isn’t waiting for a U.S. presidential election that could have a heavy impact on his province’s economy before trying to reinforce Manitoba’s relationships with the economic powerhouse. 

Kinew and Gary Doer, a former premier and former Canadian ambassador to the United States, will embark on a trade mission to America’s seat of power next week.

“The advice kept coming back that building strong relationships now will ensure that whatever Americans choose as their path forward in the future … we can have good trade, good economic relationships and that ongoing valuable partnership with our most important ally,” Kinew said at an unrelated news conference Friday. 

In his first international trade mission as Manitoba’s premier, Kinew will travel to Washington, D.C., and New York City.

His four-day trip comes amid widespread uncertainty around America’s future trade policies as the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who triggered tariff feuds and slowed the growth of international trade in his first term in office, attempts to unseat Democrat Joe Biden as president. 

Kinew’s entourage for the trade mission includes Doer, who’s currently advising Kinew on Canada-U.S. relations in a volunteer capacity, and two provincial ministers: Jamie Moses, who’s in charge of economic development, and Lisa Naylor, who’s leads the transportation and infrastructure file.

The premier’s also bringing a 10-member delegation of leaders in business, manufacturing, mining, agriculture and labour, including NFI Group president Paul Soubry and Price Industries president Chuck Fraley. Some government staff will also attend.

Kinew said Friday he’d meet with politicians from both sides of the aisle, as well as “thought leaders” and “folks who are influential around public policy” in the U.S.

“I think the most important goal that I would hope we accomplish on this is that we just start to build the relationships. We build the relationships so that if we need to go to the negotiating table later, the interests of Manitoba are going to be well understood and we’ll be able to stand up for our jobs and our economy.”

Two sides of the aisle 

According to an itinerary provided to CBC News, the premier’s three days in Washington will consist of several meetings with U.S. Congress members and senators. Kinew’s office wouldn’t reveal the names of the lawmakers, but said they represent Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska.

Kinew will also have discussions with senior U.S. agriculture official Alexis Taylor, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, as well as officials with the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington International Trade Association and American Federation of Labor.

WATCH | Kinew to lead 1st international trade mission as premier: 

Manitoba will host a kickoff breakfast on Monday morning and a reception at the Canadian Embassy on Tuesday evening.

The entire delegation will receive a tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday.  

On Wednesday morning, the premier will deliver a speech at a “breakfast conversation” co-hosted by the Wilson Center and Canadian American Business Council.

Kinew will arrive in New York late Wednesday and on Thursday meet with representatives from CIBC, credit rating companies S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investor Services, and the Canadian ambassador to the United States.

He’ll return to Winnipeg later that day. 

In a statement, the government said Kinew would use the meetings to “leverage a heightened focus on the clean energy economy, food security and strategic trade corridors to underline existing agreements and find new opportunities to export goods and services to the United States.”

Official Opposition Leader Wayne Ewasko said Manitobans are struggling at home with long health-care waits and other issues. 

“The premier has plenty of time for his junkets when he’s not scheduled to be in the legislature answering the questions of Manitobans,” the Progressive Conservative leader said in a statement. 

Kinew will miss four days of question period due to his absence.

The government wouldn’t answer Friday how much the four-day trade mission will cost the province. 

Other recent government business trips to the United States include former PC premier Brian Pallister visiting New York in 2018 to sell banks on the province’s improving fiscal situation, and in 2014 former NDP premier Greg Selinger visited New York and Atlanta on trade missions.

Members of Kinew’s trade mission delegation:

• Gary Doer – former premier of Manitoba, former Canadian ambassador to the U.S.
• Stacy Kennedy – president of Mining Association of Manitoba, director of Manitoba operations for Vale.
• Jill Verwey – president of Keystone Agricultural Producers.
• Bram Strain – president and CEO of Business Council of Manitoba.
• Paul Soubry – president and CEO of NFI Group.
• Mike Pulak – co-ordinator of United Steelworkers Manitoba Area.
• Ash Modha – CEO of Mondetta Clothing.
• Loren Remillard – president and CEO of Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
• Gustavo Zentner – president of International Point of Commerce and Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.
• Ryan Kuffner – president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg.
• Chuck Fraley – president and COO of Price Industries.
• Lisa Naylor – minister of transportation and infrastructure.
• Jamie Moses – minister of economic development, investment, trade and natural resources.