Paul Cellucci VERBATIM We Are Family US ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci caused a storm of controversy when he told the Economic Club of Toronto that the United States was “disappointed and upset” that Canada did not support the war in Iraq as it has the war on terrorism. An excerpt from this important speech on March 25, a message he reiterated on April 3 at an IRPP working breakfast in Montreal. Paul Cellucci, l’ambassadeur des États-Unis au Canada, a provoqué une vive controverse en déclarant devant le Economic Club de Toronto que son pays était « déçu et contrarié » de voir le Canada refuser d’appuyer la guerre en Irak alors qu’il soutient la guerre au terrorisme. Voici un extrait de cet important discours prononcé le 25 mars dernier, dont il a repris les grandes lignes à Montréal lors d’un déjeuner- causerie organisé par l’IRPP. want to try to put things in per- Island gas into New England. We very The “safe third” agreement rela- spective today relative to the US- much needed it. It was a positive thing tive to how we treat those seeking I Canada relationship. I would like for New England. And it was also a posi- refugee and asylum at our land border to start by talking about how impor- tive thing for the province of Nova was signed in December. tant this relationship is to the people Scotia. This ability to have reliable The agreement to place the bina- of the United States. sources of energy and a reliable trans- tional planning group at our new When you think about the day-to- mission of energy here in North America Northern Command was also signed day, positive impact on the lives of US is critical for both of us and for Mexico as in December. citizens, there is no relationship that we we want to keep our economies growing. I was recently in Colorado. I got full have in the world that is more impor- briefings on this new Northern tant than our relationship with Canada. e also have this common bor- Command and the work of the There is US$1.4 billion a day in trade W der that sees 200 million bor- Canadians and the binational planning that goes back and forth across the bor- der crossings a year. And we have group, as well as a full briefing on der. That means millions of jobs and trans-boundary water issues and air NORAD. This was my second trip to livelihoods for families here in Canada quality issues. NORAD. I was out there in 1986 as a and for families in the United States. There are many, many things that young state senator on a civic leaders’ In fact, for 38 of the 50 states the we need to work on for the benefit of the tour. I can tell you, my lasting memory number one foreign trading partner is people of both Canada and the United of that first trip was not the technology, Canada. This is the biggest trading States. Our ties are deep and long-stand- which was quite amazing. These are the relationship in the world by far. It is ing. We are dependent on each other. people who can tell you if North Korea is important to both of our peoples that And no matter what the issue of the day, launching a missile. They know immedi- we maintain it and that we continue whether it be softwood lumber, whether ately. In the wake of September 11, they to help it grow. it be a war in Iraq, we need to continue also know where every plane over North We are also looking to Canada as to work together. As Prime Minister America is flying and actually have it up we continue to integrate the North Chrétien said on September 14, 2001, on a screen. So the technology is pretty American energy market. We already “We are not only great friends and great impressive. But my lasting memory of get more energy from Canada than allies, we are family.” that trip back in 1986 was of the US offi- from any other foreign country. We get I want you to know that, despite cer and the Canadian officer sitting side- more oil from Canada than any coun- what you might read at times in the by-side, defending North America from try. Obviously, we get more hydro- newspapers or see on the television missile or hostile air attack. electric power generated in Quebec news, we have actually been getting a and Manitoba and British Columbia. lot of things done the last several n fact, on September 11, 2001, a little We also get a lot of natural gas. months, the US-Canada relationship. I known fact is that it was General When I was governor of The Yukon-Salmon Agreement Findley, a Canadian general, who was in Massachusetts, we worked to get Sable was signed in December. the chair. He had operational control of POLICY OPTIONS 11 MAY 2003 Paul Cellucci VERBATIM The Gazette, Montreal US Ambassador Paul Cellucci: “There would be no hesitation. We would be there for Canada.” NORAD’s assets in North America when also know who we are welcoming. We terrorism. We believe, as the president the jets were scrambled to shoot down a want to make sure we are not letting in has indicated, that this combination commercial United States airline. That is terrorists or others who seek to do harm. of a rogue state that possesses a very trusting relationship that our two We have made enormous progress weapons of mass destruction and has militaries have and continue to have. over the last year or so on the Smart known ties to terrorist organizations is I was very grateful to see the work and Secure Border. The fast lanes are a grave threat to the people of the of the Canadian Forces at NORAD, and up and running for commercial and United States and to other countries now at Northcom, because we want to passenger vehicles at most of the around the world. also look at the land defenses and at major border crossings. By the end of We saw when those World Trade sea defenses. We want to look at how this year they will be operating at all of towers came down what these terror- we would respond because, as hard as the major border crossings. ists will do. We could have lost 30,000 we work to prevent terrorist attacks And we have integrated border or 35,000 people that day. It is a mira- here North America, if we have a cata- enforcement teams. These are cle that so many people were able to strophic terrorist attack, it is the mili- Canadian and United States intelli- escape those buildings. tary that is going to have to go in at gence and law enforcement offices We know that if Al-Qa’ida or one of the request of civilian authorities. This who are working in teams and who these terrorist organizations were to get binational planning group is working are using good intelligence and good a weapon of mass destruction from to make those plans which they hope law enforcement to really stop the Iraq, that they would have no hesita- they will never have to use. criminals and terrorists before they tion about using it to catastrophic con- ever get to the border. This is all up sequences; the potential is for hundreds ust in the month of February, our and running, working very well to the of thousands of casualties. J two immigration agencies signed an benefit of both of our countries. So we We believe that we have to remove agreement to continue to share infor- are getting things done. that threat from the planet. That is what mation so that we can make sure, as we I also want to take a little time to Resolution 1441 at the United Nations tighten our screening and as people talk about this war on terror. Security Council was all about. And it is arrive from overseas, that we continue The war in Iraq, we believe, is a what this war is all about. This is not the to be welcoming countries and that we necessary step in the global war on only step in this war against terrorism. 12 OPTIONS POLITIQUES MAI 2003 We are family VERBATIM We need to defeat Al-Qa’ida and other “I have worked with current US pol- to push this effort on the Smart and terrorist organizations. I can tell you icymakers. I know their hearts. And they Secure Border. We will have a border that the Canadian intelligence and law have not abandoned one principle that that is open for business, open for enforcement agencies have been provid- has been part of national foreign policy tourism, open for legitimate travellers; ing outstanding co-operation with our for more than six decades. It is that the but that is closed to terrorists and drug intelligence and law enforcement agen- United States fights wars and provides pushers and smugglers and others who seek to break the law. We will have a border that is open for business, open for Yet there is disappoint- tourism, open for legitimate travelers; but that is closed to ment in Washington and in the terrorists and drug pushers and smugglers and others who United States that Canada is seek to break the law. not supporting us fully. Like Canada, we very much wanted cies as we work together to track down security guarantees at great cost in treas- the United Nations to be a relevant terrorists here in North America and put ure and blood to protect others and win and effective body.