Following the release of the Report from Manitoba’s Senior Representative to the United States on the Canadian-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Review, key Manitoba businesses and U.S. trade representatives met in Washington, D.C., the first time Manitobans have had this opportunity.
“Meetings like this are essential for the success of Manitoba businesses as we move toward a new era of trade with the United States,” said Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses. “Thanks to Richard Madan’s initiative, Manitobans got their chance to show top U.S. trade representatives how integral Manitoba businesses are to the U.S. economy.”
Manitoba is a leading exporter of a wide range of goods to the United States including pork, seeds, public transport vehicles and packaged medicines. Between January and June 2025, Manitoba exported $10 billion worth of goods to international markets, with more than 70 per cent of exports going to the United States.
“I’ve seen first-hand the power of showing Manitoba’s economic impact to United States trade representatives in person,” said Richard Madan, Manitoba’s senior representative to the United States. “This meeting gives key stakeholders the opportunity to show how vital our province is to the United States and how important Canada-U.S. trade relations are to the prosperity of our countries.”
Key industry and business leaders from Manitoba attended the meeting including representatives from the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, Manitoba Pork Council, Keystone Agricultural Producers and the Business Council of Manitoba, as well as Paul Soubry, former CEO of New Flyer Industries.
“For Manitoba farmers, the U.S. has consistently been and will continue to be our biggest trading partner, which underscores the importance of having shared success and prosperity on both sides of the border,” said Jill Verwey, president, Keystone Agricultural Producers. “Ensuring the interests of farmers from every corner of our province and every part of our sector are at the table for these critical discussions is something we will always do as the voice of Manitoba farmers.”
The goal of the meeting was to set a precedent for ongoing collaboration, co-operation and to create an open dialogue between Manitoban businesses and top trade officials, Madan noted, adding the meeting comes at a pivotal moment for trade relations, with the review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement set for July 1.
