Alberta’s future closely linked to Asia, Mar says

Province’s new envoy heads to Hong Kong in January

EDMONTON - Whether through energy, agriculture or investment, the key to Alberta’s economic future lies in growing markets across the Pacific Ocean, the province’s new representative to Asia says.
In his first media conference since being defeated in the Progressive Conservative leadership race, Gary Mar said he will heading to Hong Kong in early January with a mandate to increase exports and investment in the province.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Alberta, but I will say there is great competition. Albertans are not the first to recognize the importance of this marketplace,” he told reporters Wednesday.
“Other jurisdictions, countries and states are also interested in working in this area, which emphasizes the need for us to have a strong and co-ordinated approach.”
The Asia representative is a newly created position by the provincial government. Mar, who previously served three years as Alberta’s envoy to Washington, will oversee the province’s six Asian offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul. He said he will also spend time in other Asian regions, such as India.
Opposition parties have criticized the fact that no other candidates were considered for the job, which will pay Mar a salary of $265,000.
Mar, 49, said one of his greatest challenges will be to increase awareness of Alberta and its various products throughout Asia. As an example, he said he recently met with officials from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, who are interested in exporting beef to China.
“I asked them if they would be interested in buying ham from Yunnan, and they said, ‘Where’s Yunnan?’ And I said, ‘Precisely,’” Mar said. “Just as Canadians are not able to distinguish Yunnan province, where the ham in China is very famous, neither can the Chinese distinguish Alberta from the rest of Canada.
“There is very little understanding of Alberta in Asia overall.”
Mar said the value of Alberta’s exports to Asia last year was approximately $6.5 billion, though it’s also been pegged as high as $8 billion. Regardless, he said Alberta enjoys some advantages in getting a bigger piece of that marketplace, in particular its energy reserves.
He said China is currently the No. 2 consumer of oil in the world and is on track to increase demand as more people buy cars. However, he acknowledged for Alberta to become a large-scale supplier to Asia, the development of new infrastructure such as the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline must become a “national economic priority.”
In the meantime, a pipeline for natural gas to British Columbia ports is in the works, which should help Alberta since Asian prices for that commodity are much higher than in North America, Mar said.
He said there will also be demand for Alberta coal, food and wood, and the province could see increased tourism. In addition, he said he plans to encourage more Asian investment in Alberta industries.
“There is tremendous potential but you have to be there to make that happen.”
Media were informed prior to the news conference that Mar would not answer questions on the PC leadership race, and he stuck to that plan.
“I’ve lived my yesterdays and I’m thinking about my tomorrows,” he said.
The Ralph Klein-era cabinet minister was considered the front-runner for much of the campaign and held a seemingly insurmountable lead after the first ballot, but then watched as Alison Redford squeaked past him on the Oct. 1 second ballot. He has never offered an explanation as to what he thinks happened.
Mar said during the campaign that after three years in Washington he wanted to come home and would run as an MLA regardless of how he fared in the race.
Asked Tuesday why he was now taking another position outside the country, he became emotional, saying he wanted to help ensure Alberta’s economic prosperity for his children.
“It’s with mixed emotions,” he said, choking up. “This province has been my family’s home for over 100 years and I want it to be my family’s home for the next 100 years. By taking on this responsibility I can help make that happen.”