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Remarks by Bruce Heyman
United States Ambassador to Canada
June 2, 2014
Ottawa, Canada
Friends, colleagues -- good
evening.
I just came back from a 21 day
trek across your beautiful country. It's been an amazing
education for me and my wife Vicki and I've seen so many things
and met so many incredible people that I'll never forget.
What a beautiful venue. I want to
thank Canada 2020, Don Newman and the National Gallery for
hosting us tonight. Vicki and I are so grateful to be here.
President Obama said it best "No
two nations match up more closely, or are woven together more
deeply, economically, culturally, than the United States and
Canada." I understand this now having travelled coast to coast.
This unparalleled relationship provides us with unprecedented
opportunity.
I am the kind of person who does not view the workings of the
world as a zero sum game, nor do I accept the idea that every
decision is a matter of either/or. In discussing our choices
among various interests, I much prefer using the word "AND"
rather than "OR." Economic growth AND environmental protection.
Free trade AND jobs. Cooperation AND leadership.
My unshakeable belief is that the U.S.-Canada relationship is
strong and thriving. And tonight I would like to talk to you
about four areas that underline the strength in our unique
bilateral relationship, and speak to the great opportunities
that they hold for us: Economy and Trade; Energy and the
Environment; Cultural Exchange; and Cooperation and Leadership
on the World Stage.
Economy and Trade
The United States could not have a
better partner than Canada. The trade statistics clearly bear it
out:
$734 billion in annual trade;
that's $2 billion a day; or $1.4 million a minute. Millions of
workers in both countries have jobs thanks to that rich trading
relationship.
But in the depths of the financial
crisis, no one would have predicted that 5 years later, Canada-U.S.
two-way trade in goods and services would increase by $233
billion. A phenomenal 47% increase. This just proves that
together, we do great things. We defy the odds. We grow
economies. We create jobs.
Canada and the U.S. had a strong
economic relationship before NAFTA. The agreement sparked an
even more dynamic relationship, with even more interactions.
More free trade AND more jobs on a continent-wide scale this
time.
It's not just that we make things together. Now, we're making
more things together. We are trading a lot more goods and
services across the border. And both our economies are
benefitting from that.
Canada's two-way merchandise trade with the United States has
increased nearly two and a half times since NAFTA's
implementation. It is hard to think of better proof that our
mutual AND individual good are inseparable.
Even that which divides us,
connects us. Our interactions along the 5,000 plus miles of
border provide the lifeblood of our two economies. President
Obama and Prime Minister Harper recognized this when they
launched the Beyond the Border and Regulatory Cooperation
Council initiatives in 2011.
We need an effective border that
makes it easy for legal commerce and travelers to flow through
efficiently, AND makes it hard for those things that threaten us
to pass through.
Beyond the Border has a great
track record and huge potential to build on its success, as do
Trusted Traveler programs like NEXUS, Global Entry and TSA
pre-check. As Ambassador, I am committed to work hard with
Canada in increasing programs and technology to maximize the
efficiency of our border. A crucial step will be finalizing
pre-clearance negotiations and ensuring we have parallel customs
procedures in place.
While I was in Vancouver, I
visited the Peace Arch border crossing. I met with officials
from both countries and witnessed firsthand how the NEXUS lanes
have expedited the flow of cross-border traffic. I learned that
over the past five years, non-NEXUS traffic heading southbound
has more than doubled, yet wait times have been halved, due in
part to NEXUS operations. I look forward to working with Canada
to expand our joint ability to process new NEXUS applications.
Money also travels across our borders, to the benefit of both
nations. Investment is a basic ingredient of economic growth
domestically AND internationally. Part of my job as Ambassador
is to ask Canadians to look South when they are thinking about
investing. And for Americans considering foreign expansion --
come to Canada. That's not a hard sell. This bilateral
investment already happens constantly and organically. A walk in
my hometown of Chicago takes you past all sorts of buildings,
banks and businesses with roots right here in Canada. And
similarly, my recent walks through Canadian cities brought me
face-to-face with many U.S. businesses. To all Americans and
Canadians, looking to invest across the border -- call the
American Embassy here in Ottawa: I'll make sure you get started
in the right direction.
Both of our economies are thriving
in large part because innovative companies invest in research
and invent new products. To ensure this continues, we must have
patent policies and laws that encourage our creative talent to
continue rolling out new ideas, and venture capitalists to
invest the resources to make those ideas realities. Enhanced
intellectual property rights protections are an important
component of our bilateral trade relationship.
In the past few weeks I have
spoken about counterfeit goods being shipped through Canada and
across the border. This is not only an intellectual property
rights issue -- it is also a consumer health and safety issue,
an economic issue, a supply chain issue, and a security issue.
Now I'd like to explain a bit more
why this is a matter of real concern. Just as legitimate supply
chains have gone global, so have counterfeits. We are pleased
Canada has introduced legislation that will give its border
officials the authority to seize pirated and counterfeit goods,
but the United States is concerned because the bill does not
apply to goods that are shipped through Canada, from a third
country to the US. Given our highly integrated supply and
production chain, a dangerously substandard counterfeit airliner
part or car air bag in either of our countries is a threat to
the citizens of both. We therefore believe it is in the best
interest of the U.S. AND Canada to expand this legislation to
include in-transit goods. We should have laws and procedures
stopping these illegal goods at our shared perimeter.
Both of our governments are in the midst of very ambitious trade
negotiations. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Harper said,
"Developing trade is one of the keys to job creation. It is a
key to economic vitality and it is a key to long-term
prosperity, not just for the Canadian people but for all of our
peoples." As you would expect, the United States and Canada are
absolutely on the same wave length here.
And this is good -- because the
stakes have never been higher to complete trade agreements. The
U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman said recently, "The
question we face is not whether we can roll back the tide of
globalization. It is whether we are going to shape it or be
shaped by it, whether we are going to do everything we can to
ensure that it reflects our values or let the values of others
define it."
We are in the end game of the
Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations (TPP). It is critically
important that Canada, and all 12 TPP countries, make the
difficult decisions now that are necessary to conclude a
comprehensive, highly ambitious, 21st century trade agreement.
Success is paramount, because a bold, sweeping agreement will
mean a better life for generations to come, not just in Canada
and the United States, but in a significant portion of the
world. Our joint participation is a unique opportunity for both
our countries to build upon our already dynamic trading
relationship. And, with both Canada and Mexico in the TPP, we
are looking at the best single prospect for North America to
expand opportunities in world market. This is our chance. We
cannot afford to let this opportunity pass us by.
Energy and the Environment
Now, I'd like to take a few moments to talk about the future. I
have children, and I also have grandchildren. I often wonder
about what the world will look like in 20, 50 or even 100 years.
But one thing I am sure of is that we all have a responsibility
for our future. The United States and Canada have a strong
tradition of working together on environmental issues. We are
united in managing challenges that stubbornly refuse to be
managed.
From an environmental perspective, there is no U.S.-Canada
border. Both good things -- water, air, migratory wildlife --
and bad things -- invasive species, pollution, and ice storms --
cross freely in both directions. Together, we protect our shared
waters, including the Great Lakes, through the Boundary Waters
Treaty. We are committed to protecting birds through the
Migratory Bird Treaty. We negotiated an Air Quality Agreement
that cut air pollution and practically eliminated acid rain. All
this was hard stuff. But together we pushed forward and now we
enjoy the benefits of our perseverance. Here, as in so many
areas, the proper focus is not Canada OR the United States, it's
Canada AND the United States.
The hard work of expanding and deepening this unique history of
environmental cooperation must continue, for the benefit of
present and future generations.
Our long-standing energy relationship dates back more than a
century when the hydro-generating stations at Niagara Falls
began providing electricity to both sides of the border. In 2013
Canada exported $110 billion worth of energy to the United
States. But it's not just a matter of exporting energy.
Last year, President Obama unveiled the U.S. Climate Action Plan
that outlines the roadmap for reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions. Today the United States government proposed a 30%
reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants
by 2030.
Protecting our children's right to
live on a healthy planet is not something that the United States
can do alone. I am happy that the United States and Canada have
a long history of working together to reduce the environmental
impact of our energy generation. We need to continue that work
together moving toward a low-carbon future, with alternative
energy choices, greater energy efficiency, and sustainable
extraction of our oil and gas reserves.
In my travels across Canada, I was extraordinarily impressed by
the efforts of Canadians in the areas of energy and the
environment.
I participated in a dialogue between oil company executives and
COSIA -- Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance -- an alliance
of oil sands producers focused on accelerating the pace of
improvement in environmental performance in Canada's oil sands
through collaborative action and innovation.
I met with executives from
Saskpower, whose Boundary Dam coal plant is one of the world's
first coal-fired Carbon Capture and Storage facilities, and is
just starting commercial operation.
I met with executives of Hydro
Quebec which is providing significant energy for the
Northeastern United States.
I saw windmill tower construction
by DSME Trenton in Nova Scotia which is creating new jobs in a
former rail car factory.
These examples demonstrate it is
not energy OR the environment, but energy AND the environment.
This reminds us that newfound
energy abundance should not distract us from the need to improve
efficiency and combat climate change. We need a full North
American perspective as we work together in the face of this
shared threat. This is not a task that we can take on
individually. It can only be successfully challenged together.
Culture
Here in the stunning National
Gallery of Art, we are surrounded by beauty and the inspiration
of artists. While it is a reflective space bringing people
together from across Canada and from different nations, it is
also a magnet for discussion and dialogue. Spaces such as the
National Gallery and many of the cultural institutions we have
visited in our travels throughout Canada are indeed, treasures.
We would like to extend these conversations and experiences of
sharing ideas, art, and culture.
Ever since university when Vicki
and I were partners in our business school class, we have been a
team. As we contemplated representing our country, we knew
Canada would be a place where we could work together.
Vicki and I plan to promote art,
educational exchange, and thought leadership across Canada's
unique provinces and cities -- in our Consulates, the Embassy
and in our home in Ottawa. We plan to engage and gather
individuals across all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. We
believe in the power of human connection. It is vitally
important that our two countries continue to share our rich
cultures through the stories of individuals and communities, to
break bread with our friends and also with those that are
different from us. This is where we learn about the greater
world, and most importantly, it is how we learn and gain
perspective about ourselves.
Like any good team, Vicki and I
will collaborate, but also work as individual leaders leveraging
our unique voices, passions and strengths. Vicki will take a
leading role on cultural diplomacy initiatives, highlighting and
connecting our greatest American and Canadian commodity -- the
human capital of ideas and creativity.
As we have travelled throughout Canada, Vicki and I have
connected with countless Canadians who have shared their stories
with us. And we met with a wide diversity of people: aboriginal
leaders from the First Nations communities; filmmakers, artists
and performers; youth leaders, young innovators and students;
business, academic and environmental leaders; members of
provincial and municipal governments; Canadian and American
military officials; Canadians of all ages, many with
cross-border familial ties; and many more.
As we traveled in Canada, we
gained new understandings and perspectives through on the ground
interactions and experiences.
As Americans, this cross border
exploration is vitally important. Along with the countless
intersections that occur naturally every day, there are a wide
variety of US sponsored citizen exchange programs between our
two countries such as The Youth Ambassador Program, the
International Visitor Leadership Program, and the prestigious
Fulbright Program, to name a few. President Obama also believes
in the amazing power of traveling and studying in another
country to enhance young lives, and that's why he created the
"100,000 Strong in the Americas". An initiative that will work
to inspire American youth to study in the Western Hemisphere,
from Canada to Chile, and youth from these countries to study in
the United States. Vicki and I look forward to championing this
effort during our time in Canada.
But there is more we can and should do together.
In this role, Vicki and I truly value the exchange of art, film,
ideas, food, theater, and dialogue -- something that many
Canadians and Americans already do every day in their personal
and professional lives. Everyone is, or can be, a cultural
ambassador. As two of many who proudly wear the mantle of
"cultural ambassador", Vicki and I plan to work tirelessly to
enhance the already deep and rich links between our two
countries. We invite you to join us.
Global Leadership
Another area of deep connection between Canada and the U.S. is
our partnership in global affairs. Leading by example and
action, Canada and the United States move the world toward a
better future. Both of our nations treasure and promote
democracy, individual liberty and free enterprise. We continue
to attract people from around the world to North America and
inspire the hopes of millions. We lead by our individual
actions, but we are strongest when we lead together.
Today, our cooperation is often
through multilateral organizations -- NATO, G-7, Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization Economic
Cooperation and Development, the UN. There, as elsewhere, we are
stronger together.
We are stronger together dealing
with the crisis in Ukraine, where we have stood shoulder to
shoulder in support of the Ukrainian people, imposing sanctions
on Russia for its actions that seek to undermine Ukraine's
sovereignty and territorial integrity. We join Canada in
welcoming the results of the recent Ukrainian election and call
on Russia to take all steps to de-escalate tensions and lend
support to the new government and the Ukrainian people.
We are stronger together in NATO, where Canada and the United
States have met the legitimate security concerns of our newest
Allies in Eastern Europe not only with words but with real
commitments of ships, aircraft and troops to demonstrate that
NATO's security is indivisible.
And we certainly have been
stronger together in Afghanistan, where Canada has played a
vital role in ensuring that Afghanistan would no longer be a
haven for those who would do us harm and in giving the Afghan
people a chance to chart a better future. The United States will
never forget the sacrifice of the 158 Canadians killed and the
many more wounded in support of NATO operations.
Stronger together is an ideal our
militaries live every day in Europe, in the Atlantic, the
Pacific and even in outer space. In fact, NORAD, which monitors
our common threat from sea, air, and space, is the world's most
closely integrated binational military command, and a wonderful
reflection of the nature of trust and cooperation between our
two countries.
We are close partners in the
Arctic Council and have worked very well together during
Canada's Arctic Council chairmanship. We look forward to
continuing that close relationship long into the future.
We applaud the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Canadian
government for their significant support of initiatives working
to improve global maternal, newborn and child health by 2020.
The United States joins Canada and many other countries and
organizations working to achieve this goal.
An area of growing concern for
both Canada and the United States is cybercrime. I was deeply
gratified by the announcement today of the disruption of the "GameOver
Zeus" and "Cryptolocker" international criminal computer
operations. Law enforcement officials from the U.S., Canada, and
numerous other countries all worked closely together to achieve
this victory. This is both a great blow to international
cybercrime, and a call to increased vigilance in this area.
As Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness Blaney stated today, "We fully support
our police forces and international partners who work diligently
to keep our communities safe." I can only second the Minister's
words, and note that we must continue to work together to
strengthen our defenses against the growing threats of
cybercrime.
We remain vigilant to the terror threat and we work together to
counter violent extremism at home and abroad through
collaboration in law enforcement.
Many of the criminals we are fighting in the United States are
the same bad guys operating in Mexico and Canada. The more we
recognize that crime is not bound by borders, the more effective
we can be against organized crime.
The past proves -- and the future will continue to show -- that
the more the US and Canada act together, the more effective we
are...both bilaterally and globally.
Conclusion
How, then, do I see our bilateral
relationship?
Based on our unparalleled history
of economic, environmental, and cultural partnership, and from
my own experiences exploring Canada over the past few months, it
is clear that our bilateral relationship is strong and thriving.
But there are those who suggest
that our relationship is not as positive as I see it. And to
those naysayers, I say, do not mistake headlines for trendlines.
Do not take a few issues and draw
any conclusions on the overall relationship.
Churchill said: "A pessimist sees
the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the
opportunity in every difficulty." Let no one have any doubt -- I
am an optimist.
As close as we are in so many
spheres, the guiding principle of my Ambassadorship will be to
build further upon this extraordinary relationship. At the end
of my tenure here, I want to be able to say that I have enhanced
the enduring relationship our two countries share, and worked
with people from all across this great country to make an even
better life for Canadians and Americans alike.
With that in mind, I will end
where I began, with a quote from a great Chicagoan, Daniel
Burnham, who created master plans for the modern development of
many great U.S. cities.
He said, "Make no little plans;
they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves
will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and
work."
These will be my watchwords as I
work with all of you, and every Canadian, in building a brighter
future together.
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