Posts Tagged ‘Security’

January 26, 2012: Ottawa

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Over the last two days, I participated — along with military, political and diplomatic leaders from the United States and Canada — in the 228th meeting of the Canada-US Permanent Joint Board on Defense. The PJBD says as much as anything about the nature of the relationship between our two countries. In a world marked by profound change, the Board is Permanent. It was formed in 1940 by the Ogdensburg Declaration, to create a body that could consider, in the broad sense, the security and defense of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere.

Each country provides a co-chair, along with a mix of military and civilian members. The Canadian co-chair Laurie Hawn, the Member of Parliament from Edmonton Centre, is my friend from our trip together to Afghanistan over Christmas in 2009. Laurie was joined by the new US co-chair, John Spratt. John is a recently retired congressman from South Carolina. During his distinguished career he was the Chair of the House Committee on the Budget, and the long time member of the Armed Services Committee. The two of them will, no doubt carry on the Board’s distinguished tradition.

The first US co-chair back in 1940 was Fiorello LaGuardia. He famously said: “My generation has failed miserably. We’ve failed because of lack of courage and vision. It requires more courage to keep the peace than to go to war.” The meeting here in Ottawa was part of our bilateral effort to display the courage and the vision necessary to keep the peace in North America and around the world. (I believe LaGuardia also invented the phrase “your plane is delayed.”)

During the course of the meeting, we signed three agreements that will contribute to the safety and security of our citizens on both sides of the border. The first was the Civil Assistance Plan (CAP), which is a plan for Northern Command in the U.S. and Canada Command to provide support to civil authorities in the event of a disaster in either country. The second is the Combined Defense Plan (CDP), which gives guidance to our militaries on how to defend North America. The third is a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow us to share information more readily.

Among the attendees at the meeting was the Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Marc Grégoire. Commissioner Grégoire is leading the Coast Guard during an exceptionally exciting time. In addition to their daily duties of search and rescue, maritime safety and security, icebreaking and maintaining navigation aids, today, January 26, 2012, marks the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard.

Commissioner Grégoire indicated this would be commemorated on the newly released Canadian 50 dollar bill. The Canadian Coast Guard is part of Canada’s National Shipbuilding and Procurement Strategy and, as part of that project, design work has begun on a new state-of-the-art polar icebreaker.

I’d like to join the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Bob Papp, who was also at the meeting, in congratulating the Canadian Coast Guard for 50 years of service to Canada, humanity and the environment and to offer my thanks for being such a valued and critical maritime partner of the United States.

DJ

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Posted in January 2012 |

December 7, 2011: Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

I have just come from the Oval Office, where President Obama and Prime Minister Harper took our relationship to the next level as they announced the Action Plans for Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.

The United States and Canada have long been the best of neighbors, friends, partners, and allies. Based on foundations of mutual reliance and respect we have built prosperity at home while standing shoulder-to-shoulder defending our shared values around the world. We have long understood that if we work together we are stronger, more prosperous, and more competitive.

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrive to speak in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011


Building on that spirit, in February we set forth a plan for the future of North America. We committed to a shared vision for perimeter security and economic competitiveness. We agreed to work together within, at, and away from our borders to enhance our security, better coordinate our regulatory systems, and accelerate the legitimate flow of people, goods and services. We rejected the false choice between security and efficiency at the border. We realized that by improving the efficiency of the border in smart ways we would enhance the security of North America while lifting the standard of living of our people. We promised to consult with our citizens and to deliver a detailed Action Plan to realize our vision. Today we deliver on that promise.

In 1961, President Kennedy had the opportunity to address the Canadian Parliament. He famously said: “what unites us is far greater than what divides us.” With the actions we take today between our two great countries that statement was never more true.

I invite you to read all about the action plans and what they involve here. We’ve posted all the documents and fact sheets from the United States Government and I’m writing to invite you to learn as much as you can about the plan and what it involves. I invite your comments here and welcome your suggestions and support.

DJ

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Posted in December 2011 |

Halifax International Security Forum – Halifax, November 5-7, 2010

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

This year’s Second Annual Halifax Security Forum was  a great event last year and it  was even better this year.

The moving force behind the event is Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay.  Minister MacKay and the German Marshall Fund — which is the sponsor — have assembled over 500 people from 44 countries to discuss global security issues ranging from how to protect against terrorism, to how to deal with problems of nuclear proliferation in Iran and elsewhere around the world, to the cyber security threat.  The tradition is to have a modicum of speechmaking and to have a series of panel discussions with questions from the audience.  I have learned a lot.

Many U.S. government officials are here, including: Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy, Commander of NORAD and Northcom Admiral James Winnefeld, and a Congressional Delegation including Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Barbara Mikulski, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Udall, and Jeff Sessions.

It was very windy and stormy  in Halifax.  Not exactly Chamber of Commerce weather.  Because of the storms, the Congressional Delegation and Secretary Napolitano had to be diverted to Bangor, Maine where they spent the night.  But because they really wanted to attend they came here early on Saturday morning. Several of them spoke during the panels.

In addition — as is the tradition at events where leaders gather — there are “bilats at the margins” or in plain English, small private meetings between leaders from different countries.  We had several among a variety of members of the U.S. delegation and our Canadian hosts.  Particularly Minister MacKay.

We also went off to a panel arranged by my predecessor, Ambassador Gordon Giffin, Scotty Greenwood, and Colin Robertson of the Canadian American Business Council with Senator Shaheen to discuss issues of Canadian and American cooperation on energy and the environment.

DJ

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Posted in November 2010 |

February 9, 2010 – Montreal

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

I spent the last two days in Montreal. Last night Julie and I went to dinner at Moishes Steak House. As usual — I ate too much. But the steaks are spectacular. And the pickles they put on every table superb. As my kids would say: “Old School.” If you ever want a good splurge in Montreal I highly recommend it.

Today I gave a speech at a lunch hosted by the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (known as CORIM in Montreal by its French acronym). After stumbling through a couple of sentences of French – perhaps the best received part of the address – I spoke about the Obama Administration’s foreign policy. My fundamental point was that America’s commitment to global security will never waver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. We need like-minded allies – like Canada – to secure the peace.

I emphasized that where force is necessary, we have a moral and a strategic obligation to abide by certain rules of conduct. Even as we confront a vicious and ruthless adversary, like al-Qaeda, we must remain steadfast to our beliefs. To our values. That is what makes us different from those we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is what makes our country – and Canada – worth fighting for.

Under President Obama, there will be engagement and there will be diplomacy – but there will also be consequences if those efforts fail. It remains true however, that no repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

As we have seen in places like Afghanistan, true peace is not just freedom from oppression — it is also freedom from want. Development rarely takes root without security, but so, too, security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food. Or clean water. Or the medicine and shelter they need to survive. It does not exist where children can’t aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can destroy a society from within.

Finally, I talked about my travels and concluded that the U.S. and Canada share so much. More than agreeing that Florida is the best place to spend winter or that you play football with your hands. We share the core values of peace, of justice, and of freedom. Those values shape how we think and how we act. And more importantly we share in a hope and in an obligation. A hope that tomorrow will be a better place. And an obligation to do everything in our power to ensure that it is.

This is what makes the United States and Canada great. That we see the problems of the world and we work for change. It is our job – together – to make that change happen.
DJ

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Posted in February 2010 |

November 23, 2009 – Fredericton, New Brunswick

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Well, I asked for it. Yesterday and today we drove 1200 KM around Atlantic Canada. We started in Halifax, drove to Charlottetown on P.E.I., drove to Fredericton in New Brunswick, drove to Calais, Maine, and then drove back to Fredericton. I have definitely seen a lot of the Atlantic Provinces on the ground. While my staff may be ready to kill me, I had a blast and I got a good – if a little hectic – sense of the place.

Last night the U.S. Consul General and I had dinner with Premier Shawn Graham and his wife Roxanne. Roxanne lived in Japan for 9 years. She made us a GREAT Japanese dinner. I kept thinking of my friend John Roos who is the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. If he’s eating like this every night he will come home weighing 300 pounds. We had a good discussion about the Hydro-Quebec/New Brunswick Power deal. I have now heard about it from the perspectives of the Premiers of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Premier Graham and I also discussed the long running disagreement between the U.S. and Canada about the right of passage through Head Harbor for tankers at a proposed LNG facility in Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine. Lively night.

The Ambassador at dinner with Premier Graham of New Brunswick and his wife Roxanne Reeves

The Ambassador at dinner with Premier Graham of New Brunswick and his wife Roxanne Reeves


This morning we got up early to drive to Calais, Maine, for the dedication of a new state of the art border crossing facility which has been under discussion since the 1970s. The drive was magnificent. Rolling hills. Fast moving rivers. And millions of beautiful pine trees that were covered in frost. It looked like the front of a Christmas card.

Among the people who attended the dedication at Calais were Senator Collins and Congressman Michaud. As I said in my remarks, I do not believe we have to make the false choice between border security and convenience. If we are smart, if our two countries cooperate, and if we invest in the necessary infrastructure, we can have both.

Many of the border facilities predate World War II. For example, the two existing crossings between Calais, Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick were built early in the 20th century. Those old facilities are simply not designed to deal with the challenges we face today. Investments in infrastructure and technology on both sides of the boarder – like the new facility at Calais – are what we need in order to protect our countries without impeding the free flow of law abiding people and safe goods.

Ambassador Jacobson at the ribbon cutting for the new border crossing in Calais, Maine

Ambassador Jacobson at the ribbon cutting for the new border crossing in Calais, Maine


I also can’t let pass the opportunity to give praise to Emily Ginn. She is a Junior at Calais High School and she gave a stirring a cappella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

While we were at the border, we had a chance to stop by the Ganong Brothers Chocolate Factory in St. Stephen. I loaded up with their signature ‘chicken bones’ and more than my share of chocolate creams. Thanksgiving is starting early for me.

Ambassador Jacobson at the the Ganong Chocolate Factory Store in St. Stephen, New Brunswick

Ambassador Jacobson at the the Ganong Chocolate Factory Store in St. Stephen, New Brunswick


After we returned to Fredericton we were treated to a private tour of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly Building. And we had a chance to meet the Speaker, Hon. Roy Boudreau. There was a special moment when we arrived. Flying on the flagpole in front of the building was the Stars and Stripes! I was moved by this kind gesture toward my country.

Then it was off to meet with the new Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Gaydon Nicholas. He was the first Aboriginal person to receive a law degree in Atlantic Canada, graduating in 1971. Prior to his appointment, he served for 18 years as a provincial judge. We had an interesting discussion of the challenges as well as the opportunities that confront First Nations and aboriginal people in Canada. We also talked about cooperation between communities in Canada and the U.S.

I am now off to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Canadian Minister of Public Safety Peter Van Loan to talk about cooperative efforts in securing North America.

Fortunately, I’m not going to Washington by car!!!
DJ

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Posted in November 2009 |