Home The Ambassador Speeches, Statements and Outreach Senate Banking Committee

The Honourable Michael Wilson, Canadian Ambassador to the United States

Opening Remarks to the Senate Banking Committee
Ottawa, Ontario
June 7, 2006

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Senators:

Thank you for the invitation to meet with you today. As your Ambassador to the United States, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, or WHTI, ranks with the softwood lumber dispute as my top priorities.

The WHTI requires that by January 1, 2008, all Americans and Canadians alike must have a passport or equivalent documentation, or a combination of documents, to enter the United States. This requirement is a year and a half away from coming into force, not much time to finalize and publish the implementing rule; conduct meaningful economic impact assessments; identify and develop the appropriate technology; actually produce the many millions of required documents; install readers and related infrastructure at border crossings; and convince people to buy the new documents.

WHTI is intended to improve security at the border. The weekend arrests in Toronto show that it would be wrong to somehow set up WHTI as the only solution to the threat of home-grown terrorism. It may be part of the solution. What Toronto clearly demonstrates is that it is more important to have a solid intelligence and policing capacity. To have seamless cooperation among enforcement agencies. To ensure that Canadian agencies continue to engage in extensive and productive cooperation with our allies, especially with the United States. This is all being done with great effectiveness.

Senators, we have done a great deal to augment security since 9/11. The money we’ve spent - ten billion dollars, with more to come is only part of the story. Through the Smart Border Action Plan, the Security and Prosperity Plan and other mechanisms, key federal departments and agencies are zeroing in on security as never before. We have done very good work in Canada in cooperation with the US and other allies.

When it comes to WHTI, it is vital that we coordinate with the US every step of the way. And we are doing so.

This seamless cooperation between our respective agencies is highly regarded amongst our respective practitioners. To ensure that the message around intelligence, law enforcement and our immigration policies are understood in Washington, especially on Capitol Hill, I have asked the RCMP Commissioner, the Director of CSIS, the Deputy Minister of Immigration – to come to Washington. I want them to meet on an ongoing basis with those who make decisions and influence policy, to describe just how stalwart an ally and partner that Canada is in combating terrorism.

I call it “myth-busting”. About our refugee policy. About our immigration policy. To remind them, again that none of the 9/11 terrorists were linked to Canada. What we are doing and how much we are spending on security.

We have a very good story to tell and it needs to be heard.

Senators, we all know that what happened in Toronto is, unfortunately, not a one-off event. The UK, Netherlands, Spain, the US, Germany, Japan and Asia have had similar experiences. Not all of these incidents resulted in death and destruction. Some, as in Toronto were fortunately pre-empted.

We are appalled by the weekend events but not entirely surprised. That such groups can exist and apparently plot mayhem in free and open societies should not come as a revelation. But lets take comfort and pride that solid police and intelligence work is protecting us while maintaining our civil liberties.

One vital lesson of the weekend is that our collective focus has to be on strong and intensive intelligence cooperation. Security documents are an important part of the solution. But we would be wrong to think that documents alone will do the trick or indeed are the most important part of our protection.

As Ambassador to the US, it is my job to interpret events there and try to put them in context for Canadians. In that role, Senators, let me tell you that the shock of 9/11 has not worn off. Americans continue to place the highest priority on security. We in Canada must understand this fact or our ongoing relationship will be hampered.

It does not mean that we move lockstep or simply follow the United States lead. We each choose policies that reflect our different systems and situations. And then work cooperatively and collaboratively on issues of common cause.

This hearing demonstrates that you understand the importance to our mutual prosperity of a smooth and problem-free implementation of the WHTI requirement.

Canadians want a smart border, not a thick one. I want to underline that a smart border is a more secure border. We support the need for security at the border. With so much of our livelihood tied to the border, it is in our interests to ensure it is secure, and to do so in a manner that does not unduly impinge upon legitimate travel and commerce. That is why we continue to urge the United States Administration to take the time to get WHTI right.

You have other witnesses on the agenda who will present statistical data on the potential costs to both the United States and Canadian economies. These are large because of the 31.7 million visits from the US to Canada and 37.3 million from Canada to the US: 70 million 2-way – most of them by car or bus or train.

All along the border there are integrated communities that would have a wedge driven between them if WHTI is implemented with confusion and disruption. That wedge could extend much further than just border communities. As members of Congress remind me, Canadians holiday as well as invest and do business in every state. Last year, we were the biggest investor in America and for 38 states we are their biggest market. The US does more trade with Ontario than with Japan.

We are already seeing decisions made around the convention trade that will hurt both countries because of the uncertainty around passage at the border.

We have allies in both the House and Senate – you will hear from Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, a great friend of Canada. There were amendments, sponsored by Minnesota Senator Norman Coleman and Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, in the Senate last week which would delay the implementation of the WHTI. Congresswoman Slaughter may give you her perspective on the future prospects for those amendments.

In my calls on Capitol Hill, I regularly raise this issue. I have spoken with the Chairs of the two lead oversight committees for the Department of Homeland Security: Senator Susan Collins and Congressman Pete King. Both understand and share our concerns regarding WHTI implementation.

I believe our efforts on the Hill are gaining traction and these amendments to extend the timeframe and to establish benchmarks for WHTI’s smooth implementation reflect a growing sentiment there that much needs to be done in a very short time before WHTI is ready to be implemented.

With the deadline for implementation 18 months away, we are determined to find a solution. We are equally determined to illustrate that Canada is strongly committed to making our border both secure AND accessible to the legitimate flow of people and goods.

Mr Chairman,

All legislators in Canada and our team in Washington must continue to take this message to our neighbours. Regardless of the outcome of the WHTI debate, let us never forget that our border is best secured by diligent and comprehensive intelligence and policing supported by strong and effective cooperation between our two countries.

I look forward to your questions. Thank you.