But I do not want the private sector and government brought together...

Mayor Katz said: "In 2005, Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Kay Barnes and her business community went shopping for a city to build a unique cross border economic partnership. In this partnership, cities – not states, or regions, or countries – would promote their partnership and shared economic opportunities. Cities in Canada, the United States, and Mexico would become part of a true trade corridor, complete with mid-continent customs clearing, and plans to increase wholesale trade – the trade our city was built on. Which Canadian partner did she chose? - Winnipeg. Mayor Barnes chose us as a partner because her team found a confident voice at the other end of the phone – namely Destination Winnipeg. I want to take a moment to thank Destination Winnipeg chair, Bob Silver, President Stu Duncan, and their entire team, for being a superb marketing arm for the economic development in our city. Their team understands how to bring the private sector and government together."