July 25, 1997 No. 122

CANADA-U.S. PACIFIC SALMON REPRESENTATIVES

TO BEGIN WORK IMMEDIATELY

Canadian and U.S. Special Representatives on Pacific salmon will begin work at once on the dispute between Canada and the United States over the Pacific Salmon Treaty, Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Fisheries and Oceans Minister David Anderson announced today.

Dr. David Strangway, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of British Columbia, and his U.S. counterpart, William Ruckelshaus, are charged with giving new energy to negotiations aimed at implementing the Pacific Salmon Treaty's conservation and equity principles.

"Dr. Strangway and Mr. Ruckelshaus will guide future talks among stakeholders in British Columbia, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest," said Mr. Axworthy. "I am confident that they can forge a new spirit of co-operation to resolve this very difficult and vitally important issue. Minister Anderson and I look forward to meeting with Dr. Strangway soon, and we will closely follow the work being done."

"Dr. Strangway is a prominent British Columbian who will work in the best interests of B.C. and Canada," said Mr. Anderson. "It is important that he meet with B.C. stakeholders and Premier Clark as soon as possible."

The Canadian and U.S. governments have also agreed to improve consultations between fisheries officials to ensure early warning of problems for the 1997 fishing season and beyond.

The Special Representatives' authority comes from the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States. They have been asked to report to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Fisheries and Oceans in Canada, and to the Secretary of State in the United States, and to provide recommendations. Their mandate is to reach a solution that makes a real difference before the 1998 fishing season. The representatives are expected to report on their progress before the end of 1997.

Mr. Ruckelshaus is a former head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is now a Seattle-based businessman.

-30-

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Catherine Lappe

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Athana Mentzelopoulos

Office of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

(613) 996-0076

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca