GIMLI, Man. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper's quest to improve relations with the United States could be undermined if his government fails to address concerns over an American law requiring Canadians to show a passport or identification card each time they cross the border, several of Canada's premiers said Wednesday.
As Canada ramps up its effort to secure delays to the controversial legislation, the provincial leaders said the simmering concerns, if they go unresolved, will affect many more Canadians than did the recent softwood lumber trade dispute and will be a "much greater irritant."
"It will be more populist, much more populist," Manitoba Premier Gary Doer told reporters at a meeting of North American political leaders, including U.S. and Mexican governors, ambassadors for the three countries and Canadian premiers.
"Softwood lumber was a huge negative drift for five years and a file that's going to be debated in this country in terms of what we received and what we gave up. But the border will be a populist issue for all Canadians and, I suggest, many Americans."
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires citizens of both countries to present an as-yet-undecided piece of identification for sea and air travel by Dec. 31, 2006, and for land travel at the end of 2007. Last week, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment to the law that seeks to delay implementation of the initiative until at least June 1, 2009, while expanding the range of documents that people can use as identification. The amendment, which is the cause of much optimism among Canadian officials, must still be voted on by the House of Representatives before the proposed changes can take effect.
State governors at the Gimli meeting were split on the necessity of stalling the legislation, but North Dakota's John Hoeven predicted there is a "good chance" the House will support the push to delay the new rules.
Arriving Wednesday night in this town on the western shores of Lake Winnipeg, the prime minister said that his government is "urging delay" and feels it can persuade American legislators that it is the right course of action.
"I think that, as time wears on and as Americans examine the consequences more carefully, they'll come to share our concern that this particular requirement, if it's proceeded with on the current timetable, will not enhance security significantly, but will have significant negative impacts on trade and tourism," he said.
Harper's comments appear to contain a veiled reference to CBC Radio reports that the U.S. General Accounting Office, the federal auditor, will release a study today indicating that the Americans have no chance of meeting the deadlines established in their own legislation.
All of this was enough to give the prime minister cause for optimism. Harper said there have been "hopeful signs" that Canada's message is getting through, but he warned that neither Canada nor U.S. President George W. Bush, has control over the implementation of the new law.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=19963d7f-a3a9-4640-8ef8-620581da99c6&k=36550
As Canada ramps up its effort to secure delays to the controversial legislation, the provincial leaders said the simmering concerns, if they go unresolved, will affect many more Canadians than did the recent softwood lumber trade dispute and will be a "much greater irritant."
"It will be more populist, much more populist," Manitoba Premier Gary Doer told reporters at a meeting of North American political leaders, including U.S. and Mexican governors, ambassadors for the three countries and Canadian premiers.
"Softwood lumber was a huge negative drift for five years and a file that's going to be debated in this country in terms of what we received and what we gave up. But the border will be a populist issue for all Canadians and, I suggest, many Americans."
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires citizens of both countries to present an as-yet-undecided piece of identification for sea and air travel by Dec. 31, 2006, and for land travel at the end of 2007. Last week, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment to the law that seeks to delay implementation of the initiative until at least June 1, 2009, while expanding the range of documents that people can use as identification. The amendment, which is the cause of much optimism among Canadian officials, must still be voted on by the House of Representatives before the proposed changes can take effect.
State governors at the Gimli meeting were split on the necessity of stalling the legislation, but North Dakota's John Hoeven predicted there is a "good chance" the House will support the push to delay the new rules.
Arriving Wednesday night in this town on the western shores of Lake Winnipeg, the prime minister said that his government is "urging delay" and feels it can persuade American legislators that it is the right course of action.
"I think that, as time wears on and as Americans examine the consequences more carefully, they'll come to share our concern that this particular requirement, if it's proceeded with on the current timetable, will not enhance security significantly, but will have significant negative impacts on trade and tourism," he said.
Harper's comments appear to contain a veiled reference to CBC Radio reports that the U.S. General Accounting Office, the federal auditor, will release a study today indicating that the Americans have no chance of meeting the deadlines established in their own legislation.
All of this was enough to give the prime minister cause for optimism. Harper said there have been "hopeful signs" that Canada's message is getting through, but he warned that neither Canada nor U.S. President George W. Bush, has control over the implementation of the new law.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=19963d7f-a3a9-4640-8ef8-620581da99c6&k=36550
