By Tian DuBelko
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais via AP)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be among the standouts in attendance at the Microsoft CEO Summit next week.
According to a press statement, Trudeau will partake in the in the Microsoft CEO Summit in Seattle, Washington, on May 17 to May 18. The reasons for the PM’s visit are to “promote the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, encourage investment in the Canadian technology sector, and draw global talent to Canada.”
More than 140 chief executive officers from more than 35 countries will be at this year’s summit, “The CEO Agenda: Navigating Change.” The summit is also a forum for tech leaders to discuss relevant issues in tech and business.
Since its inception in 1997, the Microsoft CEO Summit “has evolved into a world-class forum for business leaders to debate technology and innovation in the face of pressing global business issues,” according to a Microsoft press kit.
Trudeau’s visit highlights the cordial trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. Last year, the bilateral trade in goods and services between U.S. and Canada was about $882 billion. Also, over $2 billion worth of goods crosses the U.S.-Canada border daily.
The State of Washington and Canada are familiar trade partners as well. In fact, Canada is one of the state’s top export destinations. The Washington-Canada bilateral trade was $19.8 billion in 2016, with Washington exporting $7.0 billion worth of goods and services.
An estimated 223,300 Washingtonian’s jobs depend on trade and investment with Canada, a growing tech sector.
At the Summit, Trudeau will also be showcasing the Innovation and Skills Plan. This plan is aimed at making it easier for Canadian entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful businesses.
Trudeau will meet with Washington Governor Jay Inslee during his visit.
“Canada’s greatest strength is its skilled, hard-working, creative, and diverse workforce. Canada is recognized as a world leader in research and development in many areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and 3D programming. Our government will continue to help Canadian businesses grow and create good, well-paying middle class jobs in today’s high-tech economy.”
— Justin Trudeau
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