BILATERALIST

A relief for exporters and for air travelers who make connections across the border: “Under the new mutual recognition initiative, cargo shipped on passenger aircraft will now be screened only once for transportation security reasons, at the point of origin and will not need to be rescreened prior to upload on an aircraft in the…

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A group of US Senators and House members from New York State have issued this press release and letter to the Prime Minister: Schumer, Gillibrand, Slaughter, Higgins and Hochul Say Decision to Close Canadian Consulate in Buffalo Is a Mistake and Would Be Sharply Felt By Citizens & Businesses on Both Sides of the Border;…

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 Bilateralist is heading to the beach. Regular posting will resume again on Wednesday April 11th.

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  I posted at Macleans.ca about Harper’s comments on energy at Canada Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center today. His bottom-line to the Washington audience seemed to be: 1) Canada’s primary interest is not contributing “North American energy self-sufficiency” but to diversifying markets for Canadian oil exports; 2) Canadian producers receive a discounted price for…

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THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release                                        April 2, 2012     REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, PRESIDENT CALDERÓN OF MEXICO, AND PRIME MINISTER HARPER OF CANADA AT JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE Rose Garden…

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        Press release from federal and provincial privacy commissioners and ombudsmen issued as the North American leaders met today in Washington, DC to discuss among other things, cooperation on border security:     Federal Privacy Commissioner of Canada Provincial Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia…

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JOINT STATEMENT BY NORTH AMERICAN LEADERS Washington, DC, April 2012 We, the Leaders of North America, met today in Washington, DC to advance the economic well-being, safety, and security of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.  Rooted in deep economic, historical, cultural, environmental, and societal ties, North American cooperation enhances our ability to face global…

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Bon Après-Midi I would like to thank President Obama for hosting us today. J’aimerais également remercier le président Obama et le président Calderón pour une discussion fructueuse et utile. Canada places the highest value on the friendship and partnership among our three countries. We form one of the worlds largest free-trade zones, which has been…

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From spokesman Andrew MacDougall: On April 2nd, Prime Minister Harper will join Mexican President Felipe Calderón and U.S. President Barack Obama for the sixth North American Leaders’ Summit. The North American Leaders’ Summit planned for November 13, 2011, was postponed due the tragic helicopter accident on November 11th that resulted in the death of Francisco Blake Mora, the Mexican Minister of…

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THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release March 22, 2012 March 22, 2012 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Expediting Review of Pipeline Projects from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Port Arthur, Texas, and Other Domestic Pipeline Infrastructure Projects In an economy that relies on oil, rising prices at…

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I am looking forward to joining former Canadian ambassador to the US, Michael Kergin, and Globe and Mail columnist, Jeffrey Simpson, for a panel discussion tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon at 4:30 ET at the University of Ottawa. If you happen to be in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon, please join us. We’ll be spending a lot of time discussing audience questions.…

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012                                                                              READOUT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AND SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO’S TRIP TO OTTAWA, CANADA   WASHINGTON— U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today visited Ottawa, Canada to participate in the Cross-Border Crime Forum with Canadian Minister of Justice and Attorney General Rob…

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Note the White House emphasis in this statement that the earlier permit rejection in January” in no way prejudged future applications.” THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2012   Statement by the Press Secretary   The President welcomes today’s news that TransCanada plans to build a pipeline to…

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In today’s TransCanada press release, the company said it will re-apply to the US State Department for a permit for its pipeline from Alberta to the Gulf Coast. It will separately seek to build a domestic US section of the pipeline in the meantime:   “…The company also informed the DOS that what had been…

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THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary   February 23, 2012   Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery Energy Event University of Miami Thursday, February 23, 2012 Miami, Florida   As Prepared for Delivery –   Hello, Miami!  Thank you, Erica, for that introduction.  I also want to thank your…

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From the press release: International Trade Minister Ed Fast to Visit Washington, D.C., to Make Important Announcement   January 20, 2012 - The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, will make an official visit to Washington, D.C., on January 23, 2012. Minister Fast will meet his counterpart, U.S. Trade…

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January 18, 2012 Statement by the Honourable Joe Oliver, P.C., M.P., Minister of Natural Resources, on the Keystone XL Pipeline OTTAWA — “We are obviously disappointed with today’s announcement regarding the Keystone XL pipeline. This project would create thousands upon thousands of jobs both in the US and Canada and would contribute to energy security in…

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January 18, 2012 Premier responds to U.S. decision on Keystone XL Edmonton… Premier Alison Redford issued the following statement in response to the U.S. State Department’s decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. “I am extremely disappointed with today’s decision by the State Department to reject the Keystone XL pipeline application. We believe the project provides the…

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