Marianne Dandurand, Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead, met yesterday with a distinguished delegation from Vermont that included Agency Secretaries Anson Tebbetts (Agriculture) and Lindsay Kurrle (Commerce), State Senators, as well as representatives from the tourism sector. This was the first official meeting since her election, marking an important milestone in strengthening ties between two regions that share a common border.
On the Canadian side, the delegation included representatives from the offices of MPs Louis Villeneuve (Brome–Missisquoi) and Élisabeth Brière (Sherbrooke), the office of MNA Geneviève Hébert (Saint-François), as well as Jody Stone, Mayor of Stanstead, who also serves on the Board of Directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Canadian Border Communities Mayor’s Alliance. Representatives from Eastern Townships Tourism Association were also in attendance.
Key topics of discussion included tourism, agritourism, border crossing issues, and the development of cross-border trade. The purpose of this cooperation is to strengthen ties between communities with a long-standing history and shared interests.
The meeting was made possible with the essential support of Eastern Townships Tourism Association and highlighted the recent “Hug” advertising campaign, which garnered worldwide attention.
“We have always had bridges between us, strong bonds that connect our communities,” said MP Marianne Dandurand. “But we cannot take them for granted; these meetings help us maintain them and make them grow.”
Vermont representatives emphasized their attachment to the Eastern Townships, a region they visit frequently, and expressed their desire to continue and deepen this collaboration.
A follow-up meeting has already been agreed upon in the near future, underscoring the shared commitment to building sustainable partnerships for the benefit of both regions.
