Gov. Jared Polis announces Colorado-Canada Friendship Day
In a press conference Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced the founding of Colorado-Canada Friendship Day.
Polis was joined by Canadian Consul General Sylvain Fabi at the Colorado State Capitol to share the importance of Canada's partnership with the state. This announcement comes in the middle of an escalating trade war between the United States and Canada kicked off by tariffs imposed by President Trump.
"In Colorado, we know our close partnership with Canada strengthens our economy, protects our national security, and enriches our culture," said Polis. "At a time when, in Washington, our national government seems to be confusing friends with enemies, we in Colorado proudly stand with our ally, Canada."
Fabi said Canada is a partner, ally, and friend to the United States and Colorado and they value that relationship. He thanked Polis for his support of free trade with Canada stating the governor is one of the country's greatest advocates.
Polis said hundreds of Canadians are stationed in Colorado Springs to support NORAD and many Canadians are important to Colorado communities. He said 272 Canadian-owned companies have brought jobs to 21,000 Coloradans, like at the Coors Brewery in Golden, which is owned by Molson Coors Beverage Company. Trade with Canada also creates thousands of jobs in Colorado, said Polis, and Canadian athletes like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are integral to teams like the Colorado Avalanche.
He stressed that both the United States and Canada will lose if additional tariffs are imposed. "We rely on an integrated North American supply chain. And for that to exist, we need free trade with Canada and with Mexico," said Polis.
The governor's office said Colorado exported $1.8 billion in Colorado goods and produce to Canada in 2023. That makes up 18% of the state's trade exports. He said that a large amount of lumber and raw materials are sourced in Canada, which would increase the already steep cost of housing in Colorado.
Fabi stressed how integrated the supply chain is, explaining the majority of Canadian exports go into products made in the United States before they're re-exported to Canada.
"No one wants Colorado or the U.S. to succeed more than Canada does," said Fabi. "We want you guys to succeed because you're our friends, but it also helps us to succeed."
Fabi said that fentanyl is a crisis that's as acute in Canada as in the United States, but incorrect claims that Canada was not doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. was used as a pretext for the tariffs.
"When our ally has an issue and they come to us, we listen," said Fabi. He explained that Canada spent an extra $1.3 billion to ramp up security measures at the border requested by the U.S. He added that much of the equipment to secure the border was purchased from the U.S.
The Council on Foreign Relations said Canada is responsible for "almost none of the fentanyl that winds up inside U.S. Borders." The council said much of the fentanyl coming into the U.S. is made from precursor chemicals manufactured in Mexico or China and often smuggled in by U.S. citizens.
Polis said too many lives have been lost to the fentanyl crisis. "We want to do everything we can working with Canada, and of course working with law enforcement locally within our state as well as with our neighbors to the south so less parents, both Canadian and American, have to go through what too many parents have." He said that we need to do more to prevent American fentanyl from entering Canada.
Both Polis and Fabi shared their hopes to continue working together and improving the relationship between the two countries.
