Executive Council
August 3, 2017

Premier Ball Announces Province�s Readiness for Trade Negotiations

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that Jeff Loder will represent the province at the upcoming re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Negotiations, which are led by the Federal Government, are scheduled to begin on August 16 in Washington, DC.

Mr. Loder held the same role in advocating Newfoundland and Labrador�s interests in the Canada-European Union Trade Agreement and Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

To ensure that the Provincial Government is fully mobilized for negotiations, Premier Ball has initiated an engagement process with industry and labour organizations. To date, this has included Premier Ball:

  • Joining Canadian premiers for meetings with senior American political and business leaders in Washington, DC;
  • Engaging with business and industry organizations for discussions on Canada-United States relations;
  • Meeting with other Canadian premiers and the Prime Minister; and
  • Joined other premiers in a meeting with the Canadian Ambassador to the United States.

Senior officials have also had several one-on-one meetings with businesses and organizations that make up the provincial economy. The enclosed backgrounder includes data on Newfoundland and Labrador�s trade with the United States.

Quotes
�Our province�s economy relies heavily on trade and the United States is Newfoundland and Labrador�s largest trading partner. My government recognizes the importance of this relationship and is fully engaged with the Federal Government and other provinces and territories to support trade with the United States. Through our collaborative approach we hope to mitigate potential concerns that could rise in negotiations, which are expected to generate public discussion and speculation.�
Honourable Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Learn more
Global Affairs Canada: www.international.gc.ca

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Media contact
Michelle Cannizzaro
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
michellecannizzaro@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Canada-United States and Newfoundland and Labrador-United States Trade (2016)

  • Canadian exports: $394.37 billion in goods; 76.29 per cent of all goods exported
  • Canadian imports: $278.29 billion in goods; 52.18 per cent of goods imported
  • Newfoundland and Labrador exports: $4.97 billion in goods; 58.91 per cent of all goods exported
  • In 2016, the United States was the destination for:
    • $4.28 billion in oil; 86.1 per cent of total Newfoundland and Labrador oil exports
    • $507.4 million in fish and seafood, 50 per cent of all Newfoundland and Labrador fish and seafood exports
    • $77.08 million in paper; 52.78 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador paper exports
    • $10.5 million in wood; 99.05 per cent of all Newfoundland and Labrador wood exports

Biography � Jeff Loder
Jeff Loder joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2010 to negotiate the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Mr. Loder was the province�s chief negotiator for CETA and the Canada Free Trade Agreement and has served as the Director of Trade Policy with the Intergovernmental and Indigenous Affairs Secretariat. Mr. Loder graduated from Memorial University in 2006, after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science and has also studied at McMaster University and the University of Leiden. He is a lecturer at Memorial University and published author on international trade.

2017 08 03                             11:00 a.m.