Alberta premier travels east to push for interprovincial trade, investment

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is packing her bags and heading out east Wednesday, in a bid to enhance interprovincial trade and investment.

“As a nation, we are facing a great amount of uncertainty when it comes to our relationship with the United States and the broader geopolitical climate abroad,” she said. “The time to be even more emboldened in our efforts to unite as a country is now.

“I am excited to build on Alberta’s long-standing friendships to find even more ways we can work towards the common goal of building and fortifying trade partnerships to better withstand external shocks.”

The province says Smith will travel to Montreal first, where she will meet with Quebec-based private sector leaders.

On Thursday, the premier is scheduled to lead a cross-sector roundtable with leaders in Montreal’s private sector, meet with industry leaders, and sit down with VIA Rail Canada officials.

Later in the day, Smith will be in Ottawa where she will chat with diplomatic representatives and government officials.

Those meetings will continue Friday before she travels back to Alberta.

The province says this trip is focused on building connections and opportunities between Alberta and Quebec.

Meetings will be focused on highlighting Alberta as the partner of choice for trade and investment, as well as finding opportunities to cut read tape and barriers to interprovincial trade, it adds.

Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen will also join the premier for meetings with members of the transportation sector.

The province says it’s committed to working with its provincial, territorial, national, and international partners to promote shared interests which could lead to new opportunities for people and businesses in Alberta and around the world.

Five staff from the premier’s office will accompany here on the trip.

The premier is also listed as a keynote speaker at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Ottawa on Thursday. The event’s website describes the conference as “the largest conservative networking event in Canada.”