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FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Attention News Editors:

Canada-U.S. Mayors' Summit calls for effective border security

WINDSOR, July 20 /CNW Telbec/ - The U.S.-Canada Mayors Summit on WHTI, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, today called for more effective border security that preserves the close relations between Canada and the United States and the free flow of people across the border.

The Summit called on the government of the United States to delay the implementation of WHTI, which would require passports or other combination of documents for everyone entering the United States.

Mayor Eddie Francis of Windsor, Ont. said, "Cities and communities on both sides of the border, like Detroit and Windsor, have a long history of friendship, business, institutional and educational relationships that benefit both countries. We recognize the need for border security, but WHTI as proposed could do serious damage to these relationships. We need time to get this solution right."

The Summit expressed support for improved border security that maintains and strengthens these relationships and urged the governments of Canada and the United States to include cities and communities in developing solutions.

"Toronto may not be located on the border with the United States," said Toronto Mayor David Miller, "but we are a border city and we consider the cities on the other side of the border as our friends and neighbors. The very discussion of WHTI is already having a significant impact on the city of Toronto. Cities must have a role in developing effective solutions to ensure border security."

The Summit called on both federal governments to include cities and communities in developing solutions for more effective border security that will continue and strengthen cross-border relationships.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick underlined the many benefits of the free flow of people between boarder communities. "We need the border open to allow the economic and cultural vibrancy of both countries to continue to flourish. Local municipalities must have a voice. We want to make sure that people know that we are joined at the hip on this issue."

In a letter to the Summit, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said, "International travel is essential to the economies of both the United States and Canada. In recent years, we have faced new challenges in ensuring that the free exchange of goods culture and ideas between our nations remains strong and continues to grow."

"Americans are our friends our neighbours and our trading partners," said Dwight Duncan, Ontario Minister of Energy and MPP for Windsor. It is essential to find "creative solutions" to keep the border free and open.

The Summit was co-hosted by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit, Mich., and Mayor David Miller of Toronto, Ont., and was attended by more than 60 mayors, government and officials, and business representatives from Canada and the United States.

"The loss of trust between friends is too great a risk to take," said FCM President Gloria Kovach, a Guelph, Ont., councillor. "The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative deadline is only 18 months away and there hasn't been time for proper discussion."

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The Summit adopted the following principles:
  • - Allow uninhibited legitimate flow of people
    - Provide readily available, accessible and low cost documents
    - Improve capacity and accessibility of FAST/NEXUS
    - Acceptance of a combination of documents, driver's license with birth certificates and/or another secondary document
    - Short term passes available for discretionary/spontaneous travelers
    - WHTI option for Canadian citizens
    - Special consideration for minors
    - Extend implementation of WHTI
    - Set voluntary pilot project
    - U.S. government undertake a cost/benefit analysis
    - Engage Canadian Government
    - Engage the public - Communications/Marketing plan


ISSUE BRIEFING
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

This memorandum provides background information on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) to participants at the July 20, 2006 US-Canada Mayors' Summit on WHTI.

Background
----------

In September 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security released details on the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. WHTI will require all citizens of the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Mexico to have a passport or other secure document proving identity and citizenship, to enter or re-enter the United States, by January 1, 2008. These new requirements will particularly discourage spontaneous, discretionary travellers, youth groups and families, with potentially harmful effects on Canada-U.S. trade and tourism, as well as on the thousands of tightly knit cross-border communities from coast to coast.

Several communities, notably Buffalo-Niagara, Detroit-Windsor and
northwest Washington-Lower Mainland BC, and many municipalities in southern Quebec, New Brunswick and New England, New York and Michigan are true cross-border communities, where residents work, shop, attends school or church, and visit family and friends on both sides of the border. Major gateway cities, tourism and convention centres and communities along the north-south trade corridors will also be affected by tightened border rules.

Response by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
-----------------------------------------------------

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the voice of
Canadian municipalities since 1901. FCM represents more than 1200 Canadian municipalities with over 80 per cent of the country's population. FCM's membership includes key border communities, such as Windsor, Sarnia and Niagara Region in Ontario, and Surrey and Victoria in British Columbia, and large gateway tourism and commercial centres such Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver.

Guided by the first of many recommendations from FCM's Board in
September 2005, staff pursued a multi-pronged strategy to build momentum around this issue:

- In October, we delivered a formal submission with a number of recommendations to strengthen border security, to the Department of
Homeland Security on WHTI. A press conference to publicly release this submission, with FCM Vice-President Gord Steeves, Mayor Francis of Windsor and Mayor Salci of Niagara Falls, resulted in a significant media hit A summary of the submission is attached as Annex 1.

- In November, FCM began working with a loose coalition of bi-national travel, tourism and export industry representatives, as well as Canadian Embassy officials, working together to combat WHTI. This group has since formalized into the BESTT Coalition (www.besttcoalition.com), and now also includes several US municipalities, and continues to grow. Throughout the process, FCM has worked closely with officials at the Canadian Embassy in Washington.

- In December, the FCM Board passed a new motion directing staff to
continue efforts to engage our counterpart US organizations and our
membership.

- In January 2006, the FCM President travelled to Washington to present
our concerns about WHTI to the US Conference of Mayors (USCM) at their
Annual Congressional Meeting. There, we urged and supported the USCM and the National League of Cities to engage on this issue during face to face meetings with their respective Presidents, as well as to USCM's Border and Cities Task Force (co-Chaired by Mayor Kilpatrick). We continue to work with our US counterparts on the issue at a staff level.

- In February, FCM wrote to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Public Safety, briefing them on the concerns, interests and efforts on the part of Canadian municipalities to fight WHTI, and offered our support to work with the Government of Canada on the issue.

- In April, May and June, FCM worked with the USCM, the City of Toronto, the City of Surrey, BC and the Canadian Consulate in LA to support
resolutions on WHTI at the USCM Annual Conference and the meeting of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Conference (see Annex 2).

- In June, a resolution on WHTI was passed at FCM's Annual Conference in
Montreal (see Annex 3).

- In July, an editorial by the FCM President about municipal concerns
with WHTI will be distributed to US and Canadian print media, in
advance of the July 20 Mayors Summit in Windsor.


Current Status
--------------

Public and government interest and concern about WHTI has grown
significantly in the past four months. The issue has been discussed in
face-to-face meetings between the Prime Minister and President and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State. At the
provincial/state level, governors and premiers caucuses in both the Pacific
region and the Atlantic/New England region have formally and publicly come out against WHTI, adopting positions very similar to FCM's.

In June, in response to growing public concern over the potential impacts
of WHTI, and testimony from US officials on implementation challenges, the US Senate added an amendment to an immigration bill to extend the WHTI implementation deadline from January 1, 2008 to June 1, 2009. However, the US legislative process still has a long way to go, and it is far from guaranteed that this amendment will survive.

ANNEX 1
-------

WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the voice of
Canadian municipalities since 1901. FCM represents more than 1200 Canadian municipalities with over 80 per cent of the country's population. FCM's membership includes key border communities, such as Windsor, Sarnia and Niagara Region in Ontario, and Surrey and Victoria in British Columbia, and large gateway tourism and commercial centres such Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver.

Background

In October 2005, FCM made a submission to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). WHTI will require all citizens of the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Mexico to have a passport or other secure document proving identity and citizenship, to enter or re-enter the United States by January 1, 2008.

Our common concerns

Canadian municipalities recognize and share the security concerns of the United States that WHTI is attempting to address. Canadian municipalities, provinces and the federal government are already working with the United States through the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) to build a more secure and efficient border.

The Canada-United States border relationship is unique in North America
and the world. This border facilitates the largest trading relationship (more
than C$1.2 billion a day) in the world; the movement of 300,000 people per day; and tightly intertwined social and family relationships that stretch back generations. Our common border has always been a special case requiring special approaches. Our mutual prosperity depends on getting this border relationship right.

Current border challenges

Clearly, the status quo at the border is unacceptable. Border officials
must assess the validity of hundreds of different types of identity and
citizenship documents, from birth certificates to baptismal cards to drivers'
licenses and border identity cards, issued by as many as 1,800 jurisdictions, from states and provinces to counties and parishes. This situation is untenable for border security and contributes to uncertainty and delay for travellers. Solutions are needed that provide secure proof of identity and citizenship and smooth the flow of legitimate goods and travellers through border inspection stations at airports, land crossings and ports.

Passports alone are not the solution

WHTI attempts to address these problems, but Canadian municipalities have serious questions about whether WHTI, as proposed, will in fact improve security and at what cost. These concerns and questions are shared by many U.S. communities along the border and throughout the country.

One concern is that passport "foundation documents"-birth certificates in
particular-are not secure. This compromises any solution that would rely on passports or passport-based documents to prove identify and citizenship. In addition, with only 23 per cent of U.S. citizens currently holding passports, the significant additional costs to Canadian-bound U.S. visitors of obtaining a passport ($97 per person), as well as the time required (six weeks or more) represent substantial barriers to spontaneous travel, particularly for youth groups and families. Any new security initiatives must be balanced against the effect on efficient trade and the expedited travel of those people and goods that are a low risk to national security.

Finally, with the WHTI deadline only 18 months away, there is little time
available for either the necessary public education or the required
enhancements to border technology and infrastructure.

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  • KEY BORDER FACTS & FIGURES

    - Two-way trade across the Canada-U.S. border is valued at
    CDN$1.2 billion per day.
    - More than 5.2 million U.S. jobs rely on trade with Canada.
    - A truck crosses the Canada-U.S.-border every 2.5 seconds, 24 hours a
    day, 7 days a week.
    - Only 23% of U.S. citizens hold a valid passport; 40% of Canadian
    citizens hold a passport.
    - More than 3,500 Canadian nurses staff Detroit hospitals.
    - WHTI will result in an estimated CDN$750 million decline in tourism
    receipts in U.S. communities from 2005 to 2008.

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FCM'S RECOMMENDATIONS

New documents, new technology, new infrastructure, new procedures and improved training, integrated as a comprehensive strategy to create a "smart border" solution, will significantly enhance security, while at the same time facilitating the efficient movement of goods and people across the border. New document requirements alone, as proposed by WHTI, will not.

Changes are needed along Canada-United States border to improve security and increase efficiency. This is not in question. The issue is how to do this. The post 9/11 security environment provides the catalyst for real change. We
need to take the time to get it right.

  • Our specific recommendations are:

    1. Undertake several bilateral pilot projects to develop
    comprehensive solutions to border security. These should include
    testing new, enhanced-security, multi-purpose documents (see
    recommendation 3) that work best in our shared border context.
    These field trials at select crossings should begin by January 1,
    2008, to meet WHTI requirements but will allow time for testing
    and the opportunity to get it right.

    2. Ensure that existing "trusted traveller" programs, such as US-
    VISIT NEXUS and FAST, are expanded and made universally available
    at and transferable to all border crossings and that construction
    of the supporting technology and infrastructure, such as special
    lanes and RFID, is expedited.

    3. Seek synergies between WHTI and the U.S. REAL ID Act to provide
    alternative, acceptable travel documents. The REAL ID Act
    requires U.S. states to standardize and secure their driver
    licensing documents by 2008. These enhanced documents might
    fulfill WHTI requirements at a reasonable cost in time and money
    to U.S. travellers. The key characteristics of an acceptable
    alternative document are: secure (including biometrics), proof of
    identity and citizenship, convenient format (wallet-sized),
    reasonably affordable and easily obtainable.

    4. Exempt travellers under the age of 16 from new documentation
    requirements. School and church groups, as well as amateur sports
    teams, will be seriously affected by regulations requiring
    passports or passport-based documents, since most children and
    youth do not hold passports and could not justify the costs of
    obtaining one for one tournament or school trip. Flexibility and
    discretion will be required to deal appropriately with these low-
    risk travellers.




Attendee List with Titles:
--------------------------

Adames, David Executive Director, Tourism Hamilton Inc.
Adams, John M. Mayor, Town of Leamington, Ontario
Anello, Vincenzo Mayor, Niagara Falls, New York
Appel, Larry City of Stratford, Director of Economic Development
& Tourism
Baldwin, Paul Mayor, Town of Aylmer, Ontario
Becker, Mary Lynn Consulate General of Canada, Public Affairs Officer
Bergamini, Massimo FCM
Bhargava, Naresh City Councillor, City of Cornwall, Ontario
Burroughs, Gary Lord Mayor, Niagara-on-the-lake
Corson, Richard Director, Pontiac US Exports Assistance Center, US
Commercial Service, US Department of Commerce
Costaris, George Consulate General of Canada, Detroit
Cotter, Dayle Consulate General of Canada, Buffalo, Public Affairs
Assistant
Croft, Bob Mayor, Town of Lakeshore, Ontario
Deal, Joseph Special Assistant to the Mayor, City of Chicago
Dufour, Percy Deputy Mayor, Town of Essex, Ontario
Duncan, Dwight Minister of Energy, M.P.P Windsor-St.Clair, Chair of
Cabinet Province of Ontario
DeCicco-Best,
Anne Marie Mayor, City of London, Ontario
Eddie Francis Mayor, City of Windsor, Ontario
Felicetti, Serge Director of Business Development, City of Niagara
Falls, Ontario
Fornasiero, Sergio City of Buffalo, New York
Geddes, Terry Mayor, Town of Collingwood, Ontario
Goatbe, Greg Vice-President, Canadian Border Services Agency
Goulbourne, Damian Mayor, City of Welland, Ontario
Hancock, Mike Mayor, City of Brantford, Ontario
Hopcroft, Grant City of London, Director, Intergovernmental &
Community Liaison
Katz, Lisa Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
Keating, Greg Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Tecumseh,
Ontario
Kelly, Peter J Mayor, City of Halifax, Nova Scotia
Kilpatrick, Kwame Mayor, City of Detroit, Michigan
Kovach, Gloria President, FCM
Krestel, Bill Mayor, Township of Pelee Island, Ontario
Lafleur, Michel Quebec Representative, Quebec International Affairs
Lynch, James Consulate General of Canada, Chicago
Martin, Clint Mayor, Township of Guelph/Eramosa, Ontario
Mathieson, Daniel Mayor, City of Stratford, Ontario
McDermott, Ron Mayor, Town of Essex, Ontario
McGuigan Janet City of Chatham Kent, City Councillor
McIlmoyle, Donna Town of Petrolia, Director of Marketing & Promotion
McManaman, Brian Mayor, Town of Petrolia, Ontario
McNamara, Gary Mayor, Town of Tecumseh, Ontario
Miller, David Mayor, City of Toronto, Ontario
Mitchell, Kerry Consulate General of Canada, Buffalo, Public Affairs
Officer
Molnar, Stephen Mayor, Town of Tillsonburg, Ontario
Moss, Frank Deputy Assistant, Secretary of State for Passports
Noble, Robert Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of Canada,
New York
Norma Coleman Chief of Staff, City of Windsor, Ontario
Onichuk, Dan Mayor, Town of Fort Frances, Ontario
Oplinger, Kenneth Ace President CEO, Co-Chair BESTT Coalition
Pace, Anna City of Toronto
Raymond, Mike Mayor, Town of LaSalle, Ontario
Redekop, Wayne Mayor, Town of Fort Erie, Ontario
Rich, Luke Buffalo/Niagara Partnership
Rienas, Ron Buffalo Fort Erie Bridge Authority
Ross, Robert FCM
Rowswell, John Mayor, City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Salci, Ted Mayor, City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Santos, Nelson Mayor, Town of Kingsville, Ontario
Scarrow, April Vice Consul, U.S. Consulate Office, Toronto
Smith, Linda Windsor & District Chamber of Commerce
Solden, Carl Township Supervisor, Waterford Township, Michigan
Soluri, Richard Mayor, Town of Lewiston, New York
Thibert, Jim Town of Fort Erie, General Manger of Economic
Development
White, Arlene Executive Director, Binational Tourism Alliance
Zogby, John President, Zogby International
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For further information: Joanne MacDonald, (613) 720-0545