IN HIS
OWN WORDS

U.S. trade consul Stephan Wasyliko

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Stephan Wasylko is the new U.S.
Trade Consul in Vancouver — a
position that has been vacant for
the past 2% years. Having arrived
in Yancouver only two months
ago, Wasylko has been busy get-
ting acquainted with B.C.'s
business climate. He shares some
of his insights with reporter Evelyn
Jacob.

U.S./CANADA
TIES

On improving U.S. business ties
with Canada:

“You begin to take for granted
those closest to you, whether it’s
family, city or country. 1 think
everybody knows Canada’s here
and that there’s a market here, but
| don’t know how many people
have made the trip up — that goes
the same for Canadians exploring
business opportunities in the U.S. |
think we can be doing a lot
more.”

On the average American’s
knowledge of Canad::

“1 think the charge that Ameri-
cans are generally ignorant of Ca-
nadian affairs is an unfair general-
ization. | found in all my postings
overseas that the emphasis was on
how similiar they are. It’s not until
you come to Canada do Cana-
dians work hard at telling you how
different they are from Americans.
1 think that Canadians are in the
position where they can work
both sides — when it suits them,
they can be like Americans. When
it serves their interests to be unlike
Americans, then they can be
that.” .

On obstacles facing U.S. com-
panies interested in doing
business in B.C.:

"tf there have been any
obstacles it’s just been through a
lack of understanding or lack of
appreciation of what the business
opportunities are here.”

On U.S. business opportunities in
B.C.:

“Everybody focuses on the
standard industries — mining,

21 - Sunday, November 19, 1989 - North Shore News

Wasylko takes time out to relax
with his children near his North
Van home.

machinery, equipment and forest-
ry. | would like to look at areas
that are not obvious — there are
lots of opportunity for franchising,
in the service industry, the film
industry — which, with the new
studios on the North Shore, is
generating a lot of interest — and
in general consumer goods. As
B.C. places more and more em-
phasis on manuiacturing, 1 think
there will be drawing possibilities
for U.S. and Canadian companies
to cooperate.”

BIGGEST
CHALLENGE

“Vm wrestling with where |
can be most helpful. One area will
be working with U.S. companies
wanting to do business here. |
think we have a lot of business
people coming in without being
sensitive to the differences in the
Canadian market. In fact, there are
case studies about American

companies, or Canadian com-
panies for that matter, making ma-
jor mistakes in trying to market a
Particular product the same way
abroad as they did at home and
finding it was a major failure."

ON THE GST

“It will affect everyone who
does business here if it comes to
Pass.”

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