June 16, 2008
Savannah GA - Ambassador Gordon Giffin addressed representatives from six southeastern states and seven Canadian provinces at the inaugural Southeast US-Canadian Provinces Alliance conference. Ambassador Giffin challenged the group to set an agenda that will create a successful economic relationship between the two nations.
While addressing the conference, Ambassador Giffin indicated that it was a lack of education regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that is responsible for misconceptions about the policy. He highlighted the fact that both countries have benefited from a historic collaboration on big initiatives, including NAFTA. He noted that Senator McCain is scheduled to visit Ottawa later this week to talk about his commitment to enhanced continental trade.
Ambassador Giffin cautioned that while NAFTA is an important framework for discussion, all progress in North American policies should not be forced into the tri-lateral process. He commented that “Our two countries need to reinvigorate a dynamic bilateral agenda and that we made significant progress together over the decades by pursuing bold initiatives and we should set a similar agenda together for the future.”
From August 1997 to April 2001, Ambassador Giffin served as the nineteenth U.S. Ambassador to Canada. He is currently the Chair of the Public Policy and International department of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP.
Ambassador Giffin’s remarks were part of a three day conference to promote interaction and commercial exchanges between six southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) and seven Canadian provinces and Canadian provinces (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Québec).