News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The following statement was issued today by Premier Blaine Higgs:

On behalf of the Government of New Brunswick, I would like to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory. With respect to Ms Harris, the win is an especially historic one as she will become the first female vice-president in the country’s history.

We have an important trade relationship with the United States as a leading supplier of refined energy products. We also supply significant amounts of softwood and other forestry products and have been hampered by an unjustified softwood lumber dispute.

In 2019, 88 per cent of New Brunswick’s exports totaling $13.1 billion went to the United States, making them our primary trading partner..

Now, more than ever, we need to create an environment that will allow our private sector to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and grow, creating jobs and providing the tax revenues needed to provide health care and other important services.

With this critically-important trading relationship, and with many communities along our lengthy border with the United States sharing deep family ties with our southern neighbours, we look forward to a collaborative working relationship and the speedy resolution of outstanding trade issues.