Georgina · East Gwillimbury · King  .
 
Bradford West Gwillimbury · Innisfil  .

There are some places in the world that seem a little unreal and larger than life when you visit them.  Usually, it is because you see them on television all the time, and it is almost a surprise that the places and buildings really do exist.

Washington is such a place.

Recently, I visited Washington to meet with a range of Obama administration officials, Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, and leading thinkers on critical issues of national security and counter-terrorism.  I did this in my role as Canada’s Minister of Public Safety.

Many people think being Public Safety Minister means I am responsible for ensuring you don’t slip on the kitchen floor, or run down the stairs with scissors.  Of course it is very different – my responsibilities are law enforcement, crime prevention, national security and counter-terrorism, borders, prisons and emergency and disaster management.

To help crystallize my role for Americans, I would say that I occupy the equivalent of 2 ½ seats around President Obama’s cabinet table – Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of the CIA and half of the job of the Attorney-General.  That gets people’s attention. There are only 15 seats in the US Cabinet.

Walking around Capitol Hill is fascinating for political junkies.  You are walking by office after office with name plates of politicians you hear about all the time.  Then you get to meet some of them. They are all different – but they are certainly personalities.

One meeting was with Senator Joe Lieberman, who most people know as a former Vice-Presidential candidate. Charming and knowledgeable, he was exactly the same person in private as you know publically.  As chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, he has a deep   knowledge and appreciation of Canada. 

Ambassador Michael Wilson accompanied me for many of my meetings, and graciously allowed us to use the Canadian Embassy as a base of operations.  Canada’s favoured status in Washington is demonstrated by the Embassy location, on Pennsylvania Avenue, a short walk from the Capital with a panoramic view.  It is a strategically prominent place of real estate allowed us by the American Government.  No other country has a location even remotely as privileged.

At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue is the White House, and its annex - the old Executive Office Building.  I met with John Brennan President Obama’s advisor for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism in the OEOB.  A distinguished and experienced veteran of issues, he clearly knows his stuff.

My Obama administration counterparts Attorney-General Eric Holder, and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano hosted me for very positive meetings.  The arrival of the new Obama administration is an opportunity for Canada to improve our relations with the US on national security and border issues.  I believe it is fair to say, after our meetings, that we are working together in a positive and constructive way.

We agreed to seek opportunities for co-operative approaches to strengthening border security, making it smoother and more effective.  We agreed to seek more co-operation opportunities on trade at the border to increase efficiency and prosperity. 

And to manage our border better, we agreed to a new process of twice yearly high level meetings between Canada’s Public Safety Minister and the American Homeland Security Secretary.  Exclusively dedicated to border management, this mechanism gives us a tool for problem solving Canada never had before.

The results of my visit to Washington exceeded expectations.  The relationship is off to a good start.  We are delivering change for the better and we will all benefit.

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