The importance of the relationship between Ontario and Michigan is what lawmakers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border tried to stress during an economic roundtable meeting in Windsor.
Michigan Democratic State Representatives Mike McFall and Amos O’Neal met with Ontario Liberal MPPs, along with several local mayors, for a meeting Wednesday at Unifor Local 444’s union hall on Turner Road.
McFall says he wants to make sure that our Canadian friends know that we are still very closely tied together and that will continue no matter who is in the White House.
“That’s why roundtables like this are so important to make sure that we reinforce the relationships that we have with Canada, specifically Ontario and Michigan,” he says. “We have a long history together, and that will continue, and this roundtable just helps build on that.”
The roundtable discussion touched on tariffs, trade between Canada and the U.S., Great Lakes management, economic development, and other issues impacting businesses, workers, and communities on both sides of the border.
McFall says we need to make sure communication stays open.
“Relationships thrive when the communication is open and honest, and I think that again reinforces the relationship that we have. We will keep working together,” he says.
Don Valley West Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman says it’s important to talk about how Michigan and Ontario have been very strong partners, and we want to continue to be strong partners.
“We want prosperity in both of our states, and part of our job is to highlight areas of opportunity. What can we talk about to advance the advanced manufacturing sector more broadly? What can we do with agriculture more broadly? Making sure we’re growing and making innovation a big part of those sectors and creating great jobs for current generations and the next one,” she says.
The roundtable discussion was not open to the media.