April 10,  2003

The following article is excerpted from the April 10th 2003 on-line edition of “The Toronto Star”.

Ontario’s valuable trade relationship with New York State will not be jeopardized by Canada’s refusal to back the United States led war in Iraq, Governor George Pataki said yesterday.

Governor Pataki was in Toronto to meet with Premier Ernie Eves and to speak to a meeting of business and police officials with cross-border interests.

He (Governor George Pataki) does not believe that there will be lasting damage to the economic bonds between the two countries….

Pataki and Eves promised to push their respective federal governments to implement a common security perimeter, essentially reducing the need for border checks between Canada and the United States because a common screening procedure would be used at points of entry for both countries.

Pataki said in advocating a common perimeter he does not believe that Canada would be asked to sever ties with Cuba or alter immigration policies….

Eves said that with 93 per cent of Ontario’s exports heading to the United States, any border policies that would speed goods south would be welcome.  “We can’t afford the negative
economic consequences of building a wall between our countries.”