Governor Perdue Launches SEUS-Canada Alliance

Governor joins other Southeastern Governors and Canadian Provincial Premiers in New Business Alliance

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue will lead a state delegation to Montréal, Québec, for the historic chartering of the Southeastern United States-Canada Alliance (SEUS-Canada) on November 15-16. Governor Perdue will join governors from other Southeastern states, premiers from eastern and central Canadian provinces, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins, Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson, and senior economic development officials, chamber of commerce executives, and business leaders for this conference.  Governor Perdue is co-chairman of this meeting, along with Premier Jean Charest of Québec, and will chair the 2008 inaugural conference to take place in Georgia.

Prior to his time at the conference, the Governor will make business calls in and around Montréal, focusing on several key sectors including aerospace.

“The inaugural Southeastern United States-Canada Alliance meeting will make history for Georgia, Canada, and all the states and provinces that are participating,” said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. “Canada and Georgia have a long track record of cooperation and I know SEUS-Canada will allow these relationships to flourish.”

The Governor’s delegation will include officials from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) as well as members of Georgia’s business community.  Mr. Dennis Lockhart, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, is a specially invited guest of the State of Georgia and will deliver remarks during the conference’s plenary session.  The conference will take place at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Montréal.  

The idea for a SEUS-Canada Alliance, modeled after the extremely successful 31-year SEUS-Japan association, coalesced during a June 2006 meeting among officials from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the U.S. Embassy in Canada, and the Canadian Consulate General for the Southeastern U.S. in Atlanta.  Following a number of planning meetings, six Southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) and seven Canadian provinces (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Québec) agreed to meet in Montréal to sign the association’s charter.

The Alliance will exist to promote trade, investment, tourism, educational and friendship ties between Canadian provinces and Southeastern states.  Specific details about the alliance’s structure and conference will be finalized by state and provincial coordinators prior to the 2008 meeting.

“Canada is Georgia’s number one trade partner and a key investor in our state,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). “As both of our economies continue to expand, SEUS-Canada will be critical in fostering these important connections.”

Georgia’s 2005 exports to Canada totaled more than $4.8 billion, a 13 percent increase from 2004. In 2005, Georgia imported more than $96 million worth of Canadian goods through the Savannah Customs District. Dozens of Canadian companies have locations in Georgia and Georgia companies have an equally strong presence in Canada. Georgia has operated a trade office in Canada since 1981, and Canada has had a consulate in Atlanta since 1973. Georgia is also host to the Quebec Trade & Investment Office and the Canadian-American Society of the Southeast U.S., a bi-national business association.

This mission marks the 13th overall international trip, the fifth within the Americas, and the second specifically to Canada during Governor Perdue’s 58 months in office. Previous visits include: Germany and the United Kingdom (June 2003); Japan and Korea (October 2003); El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (May 2004); Brazil, Chile, and Argentina (June 2004); Mexico (September 2004); Canada (July 2005); Japan (October 2005); Israel (November 2005); Korea (March 2006); Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Belgium (June 2007); and Japan and Korea (October 2007). The Governor also visited with United States military personnel during a Thanksgiving 2005 trip to Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Georgians will once again be able to follow the trip’s developments on the Web site http://www.stateofgeorgiamissions.com. The Web site debuted during Governor Perdue’s June 2007 mission to Europe and serves as a central source of information. Mission participants will update the site throughout the trip with press releases and photographs.

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