NEWS RELEASES
September 7, 2006 (11:00 a.m. EDT)
No. 98
MINISTERS REPORT TO LEADERS ON SECURITY AND PROSPERITY
PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety,
and the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, together with their
counterparts from the United States and Mexico, today released the Security and
Prosperity Partnership (SPP) Report to the three North American leaders. The report
outlines progress of collaborative initiatives between Canada, the United States and
Mexico in such vital areas as security, the economy, transportation, the environment,
and public health.
“This report to Prime Minister Harper, President Bush, and President Fox marks the
significant progress that our three countries have made under the SPP to build on our
important North American partnership,” said Minister MacKay. “It's a tribute to the
positive, collaborative relationships that our government has developed with Mexico and
the United States, and to our common commitment to work together to build a safer,
more secure and economically dynamic North America.”
“Thanks to our crucial work Canadians and North Americans will be protected from
security threats by smart and secure borders that promote the movement of low-risk
trade and travellers within North America,” said Minister Day. “For example, under the
Security and Prosperity Partnership, officials are developing security standards for
travel documents which will be used for cross-border travel under the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).”
“This partnership will mean a more prosperous Canada and a higher quality of life for all
Canadians,” said Minister Bernier. “We have already made important strides by creating
the North American Competitiveness Council to get the advice of key business leaders,
and we are working closely with them to identify opportunities for common priorities. I
look forward to consulting with other groups to ensure that this partnership benefits
everyone as we move toward a more prosperous future.”
Ministers MacKay, Day and Bernier will meet with their American and Mexican
counterparts in the coming months to continue to build on the momentum of the
partnership, review progress and examine new initiatives. At that time, Ministers will
also meet with the North American Competitiveness Council to discuss its preliminary
recommendations to leaders.
Prime Minister Harper will host the next trilateral leaders’ meeting in 2007.
This is the second SPP Report to Leaders. Canadian, U.S., and Mexican leaders
launched the SPP in 2005 to develop a common North American approach to security,
prosperity and quality of life issues. Leaders most recently met on March 31, 2006, in
Mexico where they reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a positive agenda for the
continent. Building on existing commitments, leaders agreed that five priority initiatives
warranted special attention in the coming year under two complementary agendas of
security and prosperity: strengthening competitiveness in North America; North
American emergency management; avian and human pandemic influenza; North
American energy security; and North American smart, secure borders.
The complete Report to Leaders is available at
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/can-am/main/front_page/security_prosperity-en.asp.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Isabelle Fontaine
Office of the Honourable Maxime Bernier
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2863
Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
613-991-0657
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
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