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Kelowna leaders discuss year ahead and a Trump presidency

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce members were treated to a special lunch on Wednesday, where local MPs and MLAs talked future plans and addressed “the elephant in the room.”

President elect Donald Trump was on everyone’s minds after his unexpected win.

<who> Photo Credit: KelownaNow.

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas said he’s a strong believer that people are always right in who they elect, including when his own government was voted out of office last fall.

Although Trump is threatening to renegotiate NAFTA, Albas said he’s hoping cooler heads will prevail.

“Previously in the 90s, President Clinton had made a lot of promises to renegotiate NAFTA, as did John Chretien, but that didn’t end up being a reality,” he said. “Once you suddenly bear the responsibility of the decisions, reality somehow changes.”

Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already committed to working with Trump, which is all they can do at this point.

“Americans had a choice to make. It was their’s to make and they made it. We’re going to make the relationship work because it’s an important relationship for Canada,” he said.

Fuhr said Canada has a great outlook going forward considering the low currency and low corporate tax rates, which could be attractive to international business owners.

As the Minister of Forests for B.C., Kelowna-Mission MLA Steve Thomson, said he is working with the federal government to get a new softwood lumber trade agreement with the U.S., something many are skeptical of with a Trump government.

Because B.C. produces 55 per cent of softwood lumber production in Canada, Thomson said the agreement is crucial and will be reached despite Trump’s seemingly anti-trade mentality.

“Last night’s decision won't change our efforts at all in terms of continuing to push forward for a new agreement,” he said. “It’s been challenging all along in terms of having a substantive level of engagement from the U.S. on this file.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not the highest priority for us. We’ll be back at the table quickly.”

<who> Photo Credit: KelownaNow.

In fact, just how quickly could be the most important point. Thomson said with Obama still in power, there is still time to come to an agreement before Trump takes over.

“I hope the federal government will take all their efforts to make sure it is a priority file.

With an upcoming election in B.C., and a clear push for change made apparent in recent provincial votes, the U.S. presidential vote and Brexit, Thomson said they won’t be taking anything for granted after winning the past five elections.

“The key for us will be to engage and make sure the voters understand what the opportunities are, what our platform will be as we go into the election.”

Kelowna-Lake Country Norm Letnick said people can expect a fifth balanced budget out of the B.C. Liberals this February.

“We’re leading the country in so many ways economically,” said Letnick. “We’ll have our operating debt paid out in the next three years. We’ll be the first in the country to do that.

“Yes, we’ll still have a capital debt, but that’s normal, that’s intergenerational. You don’t build a hospital and pay for it all in three years.”

Letnick, as the Minister of Agriculture, said in B.C. they’ve been diversifying their market so that now 50 per cent of their output going to countries besides the U.S. This is will prove to be a good move in Trump does reduce trade.

“We’ll continue to work on expanding our markets,” Letnick said.



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