AED’s McGuire Takes Trade Message to Washington, Urges Swift Resolution to Impasse
Washington, D.C. – Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) President & CEO Brian P. McGuire traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with senior Canadian officials at the Embassy of Canada and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to urge a swift resolution to the current U.S.-Canada trade impasse.
During his visit to the Canadian Embassy and meetings on Capitol Hill, McGuire reinforced AED’s commitment to free and fair trade on both sides of the border and urged the United States and Canada to return to the negotiating table to resolve their differences.
McGuire held meetings with key lawmakers and Canadian government representatives, including:
- Congressman Blake Moore — Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference and member of the House Ways & Means Committee Trade Subcommittee
- Congressman Darin LaHood — Member of the House Ways & Means Committee Trade Subcommittee and Congressional Agriculture Trade Caucus
- Congressman Mike Bost — Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and House Agriculture Committee
- Congresswoman Claudia Tenney — Member of the House Ways & Means Committee Trade Subcommittee and Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group
- David Paterson — Ontario’s Representative in Washington, D.C.
- Richard Madan — Manitoba’s Senior Representative to the United States
McGuire also delivered a letter to congressional leaders urging them to encourage the administration to return to negotiations with Canada as soon as possible.
“The equipment industry operates across borders every day, and our members understand firsthand how important the U.S.-Canada relationship is to our economy,” said McGuire. “Free and fair trade is essential to the economic prosperity of both countries. We need to get back to the negotiating table, find common ground and reach a swift resolution that allows businesses on both sides of the border to compete and grow.”
The United States and Canadian economies are closely integrated, and the North American equipment industry is particularly interconnected. Canada is the largest customer of U.S.-manufactured construction, agriculture, mining and forestry equipment and parts, many of which cross the border multiple times. At the same time, American farmers and builders rely on necessary inputs from Canada.
“The U.S. and Canadian economies have benefited tremendously from decades of cooperation and efficient cross-border trade,” McGuire said. “A prolonged trade war and continued trade barriers threaten that progress, creating uncertainty and increasing costs for businesses and the customers they serve.”
AED will continue engaging with policymakers in Washington and Canadian government representatives to promote free and fair trade and support a strong U.S.-Canada economic partnership.
Click here to view AED’s letter to congressional leaders.