CSG West staff attended activities during the annual Canada Day in California, which was celebrated April 17th in Sacramento. Every year the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco, currently led by Consul General Rana Sarkar, descends on the capital city with a special guest to build alliances and remind officials of the importance of the Canada – U.S. relationship.
This year’s special guest was former U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Bruce Heyman, who served in that role from 2014 to 2017. He also served as partner and managing director of the Chicago office of Goldman Sachs and co-founded Uncharted LLC, an organization that convenes and connects diverse groups of Americans and Canadians.
The California Chamber of Commerce hosted a lunchtime fireside chat on the future of U.S.-Canada relations titled Partnering for Prosperity: Canada-U.S. Economic Security. President and CEO of CalChamber, Jennifer Barrera, welcomed state and local officials and guests interested in strengthening the relationship. California Natural Resources Agency Secretary, Wade Crowfoot, highlighted cooperation and partnership with Canada on various issues such as droughts, floods, and wildfires.
The Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco, along with Air Canada, hosted a Friends of Canada Reception that same evening at the California Museum to highlight the importance of binational interests and endeavors in a more relaxed environment. The reception allowed for valuable time to meet and reconnect with fellow advocates of the unique and longstanding relationship with our neighbor to the North. Assemblymember Ash Kalra, the only California legislator originally from Canada (born in Toronto before moving to San Jose with his family as a young child) was in attendance as were other dignitaries.
The relationship with Canada is important to CSG West. The Canada Relations Committee, which is part of CSG West’s policy work, convenes policymakers from across the western U.S. and the Canadian Provinces of Alberta and British Columbia to address issues of common interest. The committee will convene during the upcoming 77th CSG West Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon.