Remarks at the AmCham Canada SelectUSA Reception
Washington, D.C.
June 19, 2016
As prepared for delivery
Hello everyone! I’d like to start by thanking AmCham Canada for it’s terrific partnership in this celebration of the dynamic commercial relationship between the United States and Canada. Honestly, if you had talked to me last year about SelectUSA, I would have told you that the Canadian delegation was the best ever! But now, I realize last year’s delegation was just the teaser. The size of this year’s delegation is 34 percent bigger than the 2015 one. Amazing! So to everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible and to everyone here today, on the eve of SelectUSA, I want to say thank you!
What we have put together here is an exceptional group of companies of all sizes. Each business represents the diversity of Canada’s industries. I mean, honestly, it doesn’t get any better! We have information technology, food processing, aerospace, robotics, consumer goods, and financial services, just to name a few of the industries that make up our delegation.
And, I’m proud to say that with our 108 delegates, Canada will have the second largest country delegation at this year’s SelectUSA Summit. This delegation symbolizes the $1.3 trillion – I will say it again – ONE POINT THREE TRILLION dollars, with a T – trade and investment relationship that supports North American growth and prosperity.
No two countries have a closer more mutually beneficial relationship than Canada and the United States. We enjoy the largest bilateral commercial relationship in the world. On the investment side alone, it’s worth noting that the United States is Canada’s top foreign investor and supports 1.2 million jobs. Canada is the United States’ fourth largest investor and supports 555,000 jobs.
The United States is definitely open for business and we welcome Canadian companies. Our teams at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and our Consulates across Canada are committed to supporting your business endeavors in the United States. Your business success in the United States translates into business success in Canada as well.
The Summit is a unique opportunity for companies looking for growth in, and expansion to, the United States. Over the next two days, in addition to hearing from President Obama – always a treat, I’ll tell you – and Cabinet secretaries, you will be able to do “deep dives” into the business issues that are crucial to launching a presence in the United States. All these opportunities will be under one roof!
My commercial team is here to help you. Please reach out to the team and any of the SelectUSA staff and let them help you take full advantage of this unique event. Also, please remember that my commercial team at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and the Consulates around Canada stand ready to provide you with any follow-up assistance you may need after the SelectUSA Summit ends.
Since the point of this evening is to mingle and celebrate your presence at the SelectUSA Summit, I am going to stop talking in a moment. But first, I’d like to express my sincerest gratitude to AmCham Canada for organizing this evening’s reception. I wish all of you great success this week. I really am so proud to be here with you!
Thank you.
