26 May 2005

Wilkins' priority? Security

The following article is excerpted from the 26 May 2005 edition of the “Toronto Star”.

Senior U.S. lawmakers from both sides of the partisan divide hailed David Wilkins yesterday as the man needed in Ottawa to smooth "strained" Canada-U.S. relations.

But Wilkins, U.S. President George W. Bush's choice as his ambassador to Ottawa, made it clear border security is still driving the bilateral agenda from the White House.

"Security is no small issue between our two nations," Wilkins told a Senate subcommittee. "And the bottom line is neither country can truly be secure without the other….

Wilkins, who has spent 11 years as speaker of the South Carolina House, made his first appearance on Capitol Hill, offering a glimpse of a softer tone, if not a changed message, from the White House.

He said shared border security and a resolution of longstanding trade irritants between the two countries were his priorities, but he also said he would work to ensure frequent travellers between the two nations would not need passports to traverse the border….

… [I]t is difficult to get a full measure of Wilkins at this point, because he is facing an admitted steep learning curve and being deferential to the Senate confirmation process, which prohibits nominees from speaking substantively about their new post before a final vote….