Contact: David M. Coriell (802) 828-3333

Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Jim Douglas will travel to Quebec City this week for a series of meetings with Quebec government officials, including Premier Jean Charest, and business leaders to discuss the bilateral relationship between Vermont and Quebec. The Governor will be joined by Lt. Governor Brian Dubie and other Cabinet officials, as well as Vermont business leaders.

“Our historic relationship with Quebec has only grown closer in the past seven years,” said Governor Douglas. “It’s important that we continue to build on our strong economic, trade, energy and environmental ties as the people of our shared region confront today’s many challenges.”

The Vermont delegation will travel to Quebec City on Wednesday, March 10 and return Thursday, March 11. Agriculture Secretary Roger Allbee will lead a group of Vermont specialty food producers who will meet with counterparts across the border to discuss ways to leverage local products within our region – with a focus on “Taste of Place.” Commerce Secretary Kevin Dorn will join Governor Douglas at a breakfast meeting with the Quebec City Chamber of Commerce and the Quebec City Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada. Public Service Commissioner David O’Brien will co-chair the meeting of the Vermont-Quebec Green Energy and Trade Task Force. Governor Douglas will meet privately with Premier Charest as well.

Two agreements between Vermont and Quebec will also be signed – one updating a previous agreement on collaborative efforts to clean-up Lake Champlain, the other committing the two jurisdictions to work together on agri-food initiatives. These agreements will update the bilateral agreement signed by Governor Douglas and Premier Charest in 2003.

“Since we both took office in 2003, it has been a great pleasure to work with Premier Charest on issues of mutual importance,” said the Governor. “On issues ranging from border security to celebrating our shared history and from trade to environmental protection, working closely with our neighbors to the north is critical. Not only do Vermonters have friends and family in Quebec , they are our largest trading partner and many Quebec-based businesses employ Vermonters.”

As chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA), Governor Douglas was honored to host the historic first meeting between the governors and the Council of the Federation – the Canadian Premiers equivalent to the NGA. Governor Douglas said of the meeting, “my experience working closely with Premier Charest and other Eastern Canadian Premiers has shown me the tremendous benefits of our cross border relationships. Bringing Canadian premiers and U.S. governors together, in one room, can lead to new opportunities to promote the interests of Americans and Canadians throughout our two nations.”

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