Midwest-Canada Relations

Created in 1991, the Midwestern Legislative Conference Midwest-Canada Relations Committee ensures that the perspective of state and provincial legislators is presented to federal officials. It does so through meetings with officials in Washington, D.C., and Ottawa as well as with policy resolutions and occasional letters and public comments. Another mission of this committee is to provide a cross-border forum for dialogue and information sharing. To that end, it organizes legislative exchanges between state and provincial legislators. Legislators from the Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces serve on the committee.

The committee officers for 2023-2024 are Manitoba Minister Kelvin Goertzen and Michigan Rep. Amos O’Neal, co-chairs; and North Dakota Rep. David Monson, and Ontario MPP Ernie Hardeman, co-vice chairs. The CSG Midwest staff liaison for the committee is Mitch Arvidson.

The MLC Midwest-Canada Relations Committee last met and led sessions at the 2024 Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio.

2024 committee meeting: Information and resources

• “Electric Vehicle Transformation: Successes & Struggles” | Neal Osten, Executive Director, The Institute for State Policy Leaders »
• “Midwest on the Move: Legislative Strategies to Boost Electric Vehicle Adaptation” | Matt Stephens-Rich, Director, Electrification Coalition »
• Stateline Midwest article on “At a ‘Crossroads’: Legislators Explore Binational Push for Electric Vehicles, Potential Impact of EVs in Region” »
• Agenda »

The MLC Midwest-Canada Relations Committee meets at least once a year as part of the MLC Annual Meeting, most recently in Columbus in 2024 and Detroit in 2023. It also regularly holds webinars and conducts policy research for the Midwest’s state and provincial legislators.