Premier Stephen McNeil will spend 10 days in Europe promoting provincial seafood and wine exports and trying to dig up energy business.
McNeil left for Paris on Thursday as part of a trip that also includes stops in Germany and London.
In both Paris and Germany the premier will promote Nova Scotia seafood, wine and tourism. Along for the trip are representatives of Gidney Fisheries Ltd., Do Lobster, Amos and Andy's Fisheries Ltd., Clearwater and winemaker Benjamin Bridge.
While in Germany, the premier and officials with Halifax International Airport Authority will tour the facility of Cargojet in Cologne in hopes of being able to increase capacity at the Halifax airport.
"It's really a global step for us," McNeil told reporters in Halifax ahead of the trip. "We will have the E.U. coming into the East Coast of Canada."
The promise of gas
The other major component of the trip is meetings about natural gas projects. McNeil and other officials will meet with officials at E.ON, the German government's energy company.
E.ON has committed to being the major customer for gas that would be available through Pieridae Energy's proposed LNG terminal at Goldboro in Guysborough County. McNeil said having a relationship with Germany opens up other markets, too.
"Germany is really the hub when it comes to natural gas into the E.U. and further to push it back through into Japan," he said.
'Both projects are doable'
McNeil said he believes Pieridae's proposed terminal, as well as one proposed by Bear Head for Point Tupper, present "a real opportunity" for the province. Renewed interest in LNG from the East Coast was something that was also discussed during a recent trip to an energy conference in Texas, said McNeil.
Those projects have "continued to meet the hurdles that have been put in front of them and they continue to progress," he said. "I think both projects are doable."
While in London, McNeil will attend an event at Canada House related to Dalhousie University's 200th anniversary. Finance Minister Karen Casey, meanwhile, will be in London to lead meetings with members of the financial investment industry, according to a government news release.
McNeil was travelling to Europe on WestJet's inaugural direct flight from Halifax to Paris.