18 January 2005

Canada and U.S. work to deepen economic and security ties

The following article is excerpted from the 18 January 2005 edition of “globeandmail.com”.

Canada and the United States are in talks to build a deeper economic and security partnership, a top U.S. official says: a process that could see Ottawa and Washington develop closer policies on everything from immigration to intellectual property to capital markets.

Grant Aldonas, undersecretary for international trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, said his one-day trip to Ottawa yesterday was in part a move to push these negotiations along.

He said the discussions were kick-started by the "New Partnership in North America" that Prime Minister Paul Martin and U.S. President George W. Bush announced during an Ottawa summit in November….

He suggested that Mr. Martin and Mr. Bush might have more to say about the direction of negotiations when they next meet….

Washington would like to see co-operation and closer policies on everything from air traffic management to protection of intellectual property to research and development, Mr. Aldonas said.

He also wants to see a closer security relationship so the two countries "can get the same sorts of basic philosophy driving what comes into the North American market . . . whether it's individuals, immigration policies [and] customs co-operation."

Mr. Aldonas is being touted as a possible successor to United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick….