"Wilkins: Canadians Warming to US," by Anna Simon - The Greenville News (Greenville, NC), 21 February 2007
CLEMSON -- Two democracies, side by side. Different systems, and both good.
That's how Greenvillian David Wilkins, former state House speaker, now U.S. ambassador to Canada, described U.S. and Canadian politics from his new front-row seat.
For a self-described political junkie, the 20 months he's served so far in his new position have been "the privilege of a lifetime," Wilkins told an audience at Clemson University's Strom Thurmond Institute on Tuesday night....
Wilkins said his goal is to leave the relationship "stronger than ever" between the two allies, which exchange $1.5 billion in commerce and trade daily.
Two issues already have been resolved: a longstanding dissatisfaction among Canadians over a U.S. tariff on softwood lumber, and closure of the border because of mad cow disease.
The perception was "that we weren't working with our friends," Wilkins said.
Now polls show "they have a better view of us than a year ago," Wilkins said.
"Building relationships is what it is all about," he said.
The new hot issue is passports, Wilkins said. Canadians fear the new requirement that U.S. citizens now have passports to travel to Canada will hurt tourism, but Wilkins disagrees....
For some background, see:
Businesses Worry New Rules Will Stymie US-Canada Travel, Commerce
Canadians Change Gov't - But Not Concerns
Canadians Want PM Who Can Handle Washington
US Amb: Canadian PM Takes America-Bashing on Campaign Trail
Canadian Fast Food Boycott to Protest US Softwood Duties
US-Canadian Tensions Reflected in Public Attitudes
Also see:
"After Shying Away, Americans Return to Canada," by Tavia Grant - the Globe and Mail (Toronto), 20 February 2007
American same-day travel to Canada plummeted to the lowest level on record in 2006, though visits picked up a little towards the end of last year.
Same day visits from the U.S. — Canada's biggest tourism market — rose 2.5 per cent in December from November, the second month of gains, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. Overnight trips among American travellers rose 2.9 per cent.
For last year as a whole, the picture looks dim. The number of U.S. same-day car trips plunged 12.5 per cent to 13.7 million — the lowest level since record-keeping started in 1972, the report said. Same-day car travel reached a high of 27.3 million trips in 1999.
Canadian hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions have been struggling to cope with waning U.S. visitors, who have stayed away amid a strong Canadian dollar, heightened customs security and a lack of marketing south of the border. New rules requiring passports for travellers flying between Canada and the U.S. are also deterring visitors....
Last summer's high gasoline prices might have had something to do with the decline in day trips from the US to Canada, too.
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