This announcement bodes well for improved and bi-nationally coordinated regulations to stop aquatic invasive species.
Secretary of State Clinton's remarks can be found on the U.S. State Department's home page
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/06/124716.htm(www.state.gov/ ) and information and news releases are posted on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website:
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/can-am/bilat_can/boundary-limitrophes.aspx).
Here is an article from the Hamilton Spectator:
http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/583346
Canada and U.S. agree to renegotiate Great Lakes pact
June 14, 2009
Paul Morse
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. -- Canada and the U.S. have agreed to renegotiate their pact on protecting the Great Lakes.
In her first trip to Canada since becoming the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton met with Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon on Saturday to announce the reopening of the Great Lakes agreement, which was created in 1972 and last amended 22 years ago.
The move is being cheered by environmentalists and politicians who say the Great Lakes agreement is in desperate need of an overhaul to deal with growing and new threats such as invasive species and climate change.
But trade protectionism, the Iranian election and concerns over North Korea dominated an hour-long meeting between Clinton and Cannon in Niagara Falls, Ont.
Clinton tried to ease Canadian fears over the “Buy American” provisions of the U.S. economic stimulus package, but made it clear that the measures don’t circumvent current trade agreements.
“I’m well aware of the concerns that there may be elements of the international trade obligations or absences of agreements that should be looked at so that we can promote more procurement and other kinds of trade interactions,” Clinton told reporters after a ceremony in the middle of the Rainbow Bridge.
“We will take a close look at that.”
But Clinton said the “Buy American” push is not being enforced in ways that contravene current international trade practices.
“Obviously, Canada is our No. 1 trading partner ... that we intend to not only nurture, but see grow.”
Cannon said Canadians are worried by a “rising tide of protectionism” in the U.S.
“Our government is very concerned in particular about the negative impact of the ‘Buy American’ legislation being felt on Canadian businesses,” he said.
Both foreign affairs leaders said they were keeping a close eye on the outcome of the Iranian election. Cannon said he was “deeply concerned” about reports of voting irregularities.
Clinton also appeared to signal that Americans will be willing to work with Canada on resolving controversial Arctic issues.
“Obviously, there are questions of sovereignty and jurisdiction that have to acknowledged and respected, but what we don’t want is for the Arctic to become a free-for-all,” Clinton said.
“If there are going to be greater maritime passageways through the Arctic and more exploration, and if there are going to be more security issues, I think it is in the Canadian and the U.S.’s interest to try and get ahead of those and make sure we know what we are going to do to resolve them.”
Overhauling the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is vital to address new pressures on the inland waters, said Dr. Gail Krantzberg, director of the McMaster Centre for Engineering and Public Policy.
Among top priorities, Krantzberg said, are finding ways to stop invasive species entering the Great Lakes at a rate of three a year. There are now 180 non-native species such as zebra mussels and Asian carp in the Great Lakes, many of which are wreaking havoc on the delicate marine ecosystems.
“As well, climate change is having a huge impact on water levels in the lakes,” the McMaster University expert said.
The agreement has language on certain hazardous chemicals, but a whole new slew of recognized dangerous substances are getting in the Great Lakes that are currently not mentioned, she said.
pmorse@thespec.com
905-526-3434
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