Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen has been re-elected for a two-year term as the Co-Chair of the Midwest Legislator's U.S.-Canada Relations Committee.

Goertzen first joined this committee about five years ago. He spent the last year as Co-Chair and decided to let his name stand for re-election. Though busy with his role as Health Minister, Goertzen says there are a lot of important discussions concerning trade agreements and he feels it is important to continue his role with this committee. So, he decided to let his name stand and the Executive for the Midwest Legislators Conference voted him in as Co-Chair, along with Indiana Senator Ed Charbonneau.

"It's a very important time for relations between our two countries," says Goertzen. "There has been a great deal of talk about the future of trade agreements and border security and I'm excited to continue to bring a Canadian and Manitoba perspective to those discussions."

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(Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen)This international relations committee has representatives from 11 Midwest States and four Canadian provinces. Goertzen says in past years the committee has played a key role in discussing and finding common ground on issues such as Country of Origin Labelling and cross-border trade.

The committee will next meet in Des Moines, Iowa later this month and Goertzen notes there will be a special focus on the benefit of free and fair trade between Canada and the United States.

"It is important to re-emphasize at the state level that Canada and the United States are as much business partners as trading partners," says Goertzen. "Products can cross the border multiple times as they are being manufactured and processed."

He notes there is a mutual benefit to both nations which will form a key part of the discussion in upcoming meetings.