Premier heading to Washington for trade mission

Premier Brad Wall will be meeting with U.S. politicians and senior administrators next week to promote trade and talk about energy.

Wall said Thursdayhe'll be in the U.S. capital April 3-6.

He'll meet Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Energy Secretary Rick Perry. He'll also talk withthe head of the Environmental Protection Agency, ScottPruitt.

Wall said he will be discussing various trade-related topics, including energy, softwood lumber andpipelines.

Given that U.S. President Donald Trump has given a boost to coal, it makes sense to talk about "clean coal" technology and Saskatchewan's carbon capture and sequestration project, Wall said.

"Obviously we have a story to tell," Wall said.

No meeting with Trump has yet been announced.

But during the visit, Wall does expect tomeet with senators andmembers of the House of Representatives.

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Wall will also deliver a keynote address on trade at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

The U.S. is Saskatchewan's largest customer, accounting for half of the province's exports in 2016. Last year, trade shipments were valued at $12.9 billion.

At the same time, 83 per cent of Saskatchewan's imports last year came from the U.S.