‘Good to have a good robust dialog about those issues’ | Gov. Mills returns from Canada visit

BAR HARBOR, Maine (WMTW) - Governor Janet Mills returned to Maine Thursday night after spending the last four days in Canada talking to premiers and other officials about tourism and the economy. This trip prompted a call from the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra.

“He had read some of the news reports and wanted to know what I heard and saw what I felt. And I relayed that to him. And I said, some people are concerned about crossing the border,” Mills said. “My conversation with the ambassador was fruitful, productive, friendly, and that he understood the concerns I was relaying.”

Hoekstra told Mills that he would talk to New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and reassure her that it is safe for her residents to cross over to Maine.

Mills said the point of this trip was to make sure Canadians know Maine is open for business.

“And to reaffirm our trade relationships, which are significant to our economy, the main economy, and to reinforce the back and forth travel, and the importance of tourism to both our state and the New England states and the Atlantic provinces,” Mills said.

This is the second time in as many weeks that Mills has met with Canadian premiers. Last week, she was in Boston with half a dozen other northeast governors for a roundtable with eastern premiers.

During that discussion, New Brunswick Premier Holt said she isn’t telling people to visit Maine.

“That’s her job. She’s a premier of New Brunswick and the governor of Maine. I’m telling people, come to Maine and visit Maine because I’m the governor of Maine,” Mills said.

Mills said that tourism did drop off for a few months, but Memorial Day Weekend was steady, and we’re just a week away from Fourth of July, which will be a good indicator for the rest of the summer.