During remarks to the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, Pritzker reaffirms commitment to strengthen North American Commercial Platform U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today delivered the keynote address at an event sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, where she highlighted the importance of the U.S. – Canada bilateral relationship and North American commercial platform, noting that it is one of the most efficient, integrated, and dynamic in the world.
During her remarks, Secretary Pritzker emphasized expanding bilateral and North American growth and competitiveness through increased trade, investment, and innovation. She also discussed North America’s commitment to completing the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a high-standard trade agreement that opens new markets across the Asia-Pacific to goods and services made in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Remarks As Prepared for Delivery Thank you, Ambassador Heyman, for your kind introduction. I want to thank Rick Tachuk and AmCham Capital Region for hosting us today. I also want to acknowledge the strong working relationship between AmCham and our Foreign Commercial Service officers throughout Canada.
Our Senior Commercial Officer, Rich Steffens, is here with us today. Rich, can you please stand or raise your hand? If anyone in this room is looking for new U.S. partners, Rich and our Commercial Service staff should be your first point of contact.
We meet today in the shadow of last week’s heinous attacks on your parliament and in Quebec.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. I want to offer my deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them, and to people across Canada.
In good times and bad, Canada has always stood by the United States; as good friends and close allies, the United States will stand by you now.
We pledge to provide any assistance Canada needs in your response. And we will work together to prevent such terrifying acts of violence from ever happening again.
The United States and Canada share a unique and special friendship. We have no better partner when it comes to facing threats to our common security. And, similarly, we have no closer economic ally anywhere in the world.
I am here today to discuss the current state of the U.S.-Canada economic and commercial partnership, but I also want to focus on the opportunity presented by deepening economic integration across greater North America. Indeed, our long-term success requires us to see all of North America as a united engine for economic growth – founded on the strengths of the United States, Canada, and our neighbors in Mexico.
To build a brighter future for communities across our continent, the United States is committed to strengthening the North American commercial platform.
Let me begin with Canada.
Our bilateral economic relationship is the most efficient, most integrated, and most dynamic in the world. The success of our businesses and the prosperity of our people are inextricably intertwined.
Together, the United States and Canada generated $736 billion in bilateral trade in 2013– which breaks down to more than $2 billion a day, or $23,000 every second.
Simply put: ours is the largest trading relationship on the planet – and for good reason:
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
