The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s annual gathering in Washington, D.C., usually goes unnoticed. Not this year.
Friday afternoon (March 7), the dozen-plus mayors who attended lobbying sessions on Capitol Hill and the handful of American mayors who received an audience at the White House held a joint press conference.
The press conference was a welcome reminder of the deep bonds and connections between our countries as we Canadians are coming to terms with thinking about America as a foe.
There were many moments of levity and camaraderie during the 45-minute public press conference
I’m going to highlight one of the American mayors: a Republican from the “Red State” of Indiana.
Levity and Camaraderie
When Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante introduced Mayor Austin Bonta of Portage, Indiana as the next speaker, she used French pronunciation ‘por·taj.’
“I think I’ve said it in French,” Plante said. “How would you say in English?”
Mayor Bonta responded with the American pronunciation ‘por·tuhj’ and both of them repeated with laughter.
“I’m not opposed to saying ‘por·taj,” Bonta said with humour, “It just might take a while to make sure I explain it.”
Remarks of Mayor Bonta of Portage, Indiana
Indiana is a Republican voting ‘safe’ state. Seven of its nine congressmen and senators are Republicans.
The remarks by Mayor Bonta, a Republican himself, are worth quoting at length:
As mayors, we are on the front lines seeing firsthand how trade policies affect businesses, workers, and families.
Our region, home to the third largest economy in the world, has thrived due to the US and Canadian partnership, a partnership built on trust, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
Over the past few days, I have had the privilege of being at the White House with my colleagues to meet with this administration and the officials to reinforce this critical message.
We also have met with congressional leaders and industry partners to bridge divides and strengthen coalitions, ensuring that the voices of our communities are heard.
For Portage, for Indiana, and the entire Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region, this partnership is crucial.
Canada is Indiana’s number one trading partner with 15.4 billion in goods and services exported to Canada annually. Over 148,000 Hoosiers have jobs directly tied to trade with Canada.
This is not just about numbers. It’s about real people, real livelihoods, and real communities.
Our interconnected economy spans key industries in the Hoosier state, including transportation, equipment, machinery, minerals, and metals.
To provide specific examples, Hoosiers export $2 billion in auto parts, $1.6 billion in automobiles, $1.3 billion in trucks to Canada each year.
Portage and surrounding communities in northwest Indiana are steel country.
We export American-made steel to foreign markets via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. A maritime route that depends on a healthy relationship between Canada and the United States.
However, today this relationship faces a serious challenge. By imposing 25% blanket tariffs on Canadian goods, we saw how businesses on both sides of the border can feel a strain.
A trade war does not strengthen the economy of our two nations. It weakens them.
Instead of barriers, we need solutions that support businesses, protect jobs, and drive prosperity. That is why we’re here today to urge our federal governments to find a path forward and give our businesses the stability they need to drive our economy forward and support good jobs.
We need policies that foster growth, innovation, and resilience. Not ones that create uncertainty. The strength of our economies depends on partnership, not division.
We must stand firm in our belief that a strong U.S.-Canadian relationship benefits everyone. Our shared waters connect us, and so do our economies, our people, and our future. Together, let’s ensure this partnership remains strong, not just for today, but for generations to come.
The White House Meeting
Responding to a question from a Canadian reporter, Mayor Bonta diplomatically dismissed the issue of the White House not permitting Canadian mayors into the compound for a mayors’ meeting with administration officials.
Bonta stated that he would not name who the Trump administration officials they met with were. He then shared how he took the concerns of Canadian mayors to the White House.
Bonta emphasised that mayors on both sides of the border are united on issues and that tariffs harm Canada and the United States.
Relationships Going Forward
When a Canadian reporter asked a question in French, one of the U.S. mayors [I didn’t catch which one] said that he is learning to speak French and looks forward to answering Canadian questions in the language at next year’s Initiative gathering.
This encapsulated the newfound relationships.
Mayors on both sides of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence are no longer complacent about cross-border relations.
They realize relationships will need to be rebuilt.
It’s often noted that municipal politics does not easily lend itself to partisan divides: the mayors may have their political party affiliations, but they always check them at the door.
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Published: March 12, 2025
Last updated: March 12, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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