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Joint statement by Canada and the United States on common security, common prosperity: A new partnership in North America
November 30, 2004
Ottawa, Ontario
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Prime Minister Paul Martin and United States President George W. Bush today issued the following joint statement on the occasion of President Bush’s working visit to Canada:

Canada and the United States are two great nations bound by a common commitment to protect our citizens and promote democracy, human rights, prosperity, economic opportunity, and the quality of life.

Over the past decade, Canada and the United States, in conjunction with Mexico, have taken important steps to expand economic opportunities in North America. Since September 11, 2001, we have also worked closely to address the threat of terrorism and enhance the security of our citizens while increasing the flow of trade.

Today, Canada and the United States commit to deepening our cooperation in North America and in the world. We will both work bilaterally to address Canada-U.S. priorities and continue our close cooperation with Mexico on issues of trilateral importance.

This New Partnership will set an agenda designed to increase the security, prosperity, and the quality of life of our citizens by:

reinforcing our joint efforts pursuant to our Smart Borders Accord to secure the safe movement of people and goods within North America, keeping borders open for business but closed to terrorism;

expanding economic opportunity by making our businesses more competitive in the global market place; and,

enhancing our mutual efforts to protect our environment, improve our ability to combat infectious disease, fight crime, and prevent trafficking in humans and illegal drugs.
Security

Canada and the United States will work to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of our North American security arrangements by:

improving the coordination of intelligence-sharing, cross-border law enforcement and counter-terrorism;

taking further steps to secure the Canada-U.S. border while improving the flow of legitimate traffic, through investments in border infrastructure and a land pre-clearance initiative;

combating human trafficking;

increasing the security of critical infrastructure, including transportation, energy, and communications networks;

ensuring the security and integrity of passports issued by each country, consistent with our Consular Understanding of January 13, 2004; and,

working towards renewing the NORAD agreement and investigating opportunities for greater cooperation on North American maritime surveillance and maritime defence.
Prosperity

Our objective is to expand economic opportunities and prosperity for all our peoples and the competitiveness of North American business by taking immediate steps to:

pursue joint approaches to partnerships, consensus standards, and smarter regulations that result in greater efficiency and competitiveness, while enhancing the health and safety of our citizens;

accelerate efforts to reduce “rules of origin” costs on goods traded between our countries; and,

expand technology partnerships that promote the clean and efficient use of energy resources, including initiatives in clean coal, hydrogen, and renewable energy resources.
Quality of Life

Our aim is to improve the quality of life of our citizens by among other things:

building on our joint efforts to achieve clean air and clean water, for example in the Great Lakes region; and,

enhancing public health coordination in infectious disease surveillance.
Beyond North America

Our partnership extends beyond North America. Internationally, Canada and the United States are committed to working together to advance democratic values and fundamental human freedoms. In common cause, we will work to:

counter terrorism;

prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems;

build democracy and peace in the Middle East;

support populations facing humanitarian crisis;

help build and protect democratic institutions in troubled states;

combat the spread of infectious diseases, including HIV-AIDS;

pursue new approaches to multilateral cooperation and work to improve the effectiveness of multilateral institutions;

advocate for improved human rights and a global commitment to the rule of law; and,

ensure early completion of an ambitious Doha Development Agenda and promote free trade in the Americas.

Canada and the United States recognize that our prosperity, our open societies, and the well-being of our democratic institutions are inextricably linked to our security. Our New Partnership will provide a clear, practical guide to protect our peoples and our way of life as we strengthen our global collaboration in support of our common values.

   

The Canadian left wing with their hate America/Bush/et al is driving a wedge between Canada and the USA.

   

One thing I find disgraceful about the protest are how they are treating the American flag. I don't care if people hate Bush, I mean I don't agree with all his policies myself, but I really don't see the need for people to walk around with my countries flag upside down with writing all over it. That isn't saying "hey Bush, we hate your policies" it's saying "fuck you america, we hate YOU." If you going into the US, you will find liberals and conservatives think very different on policies, but one thing that pisses either of them off, I'm sure, is when people basically just say fuck you to their country in general, which no specific policy in sight. Is this what the peace movement is about? Just saying fuck you to 300 million people and writing things on their flag while it's upside down? At least a flag with corporation symbols all over it stands for how corporations are taking over America, and we need to take it back. An upside down flag just says "fuck you USA." Oh wait, the liberals are the ones who want to bring peace and the world together, my bad....

Middle of the road seems to be the best place to be when you want to look at something objective. If you consider yourself a complete liberal, you might by into the "war for oil" "bush order torture" unfactual slogans, or if you are a conservative you might follow everything the whitehouse says, which has proven to led to terrible results...

   

In tongue in cheek language, that same wedge is going to change direction and deliberately driven between their legs soon...

   

People who make totally ambiguous statements in hopes of irritating people to no purpose with their vagaries are giving themselves poopy little wedgies with their flags.

   

Canadians should always have their own political road that is aligned with human dignity when dealing with all world politic, and the national interest when it comes to dealing with the USA politic; however, for someone who call himself Canadian and humiliate any other country’s flag on our soil should be held accountable to his personal action because this is not the way Canadian protest, or use their freedom of speech.

   

Exactly. I'm all for debate, getting your voice out there and what you have to say, but making a statement by putting the US flag upside down isn't saying anything about the war in Iraq or Bush, but about the US as a whole, from the US liberals to the conservatives. It's saying fuck all of the US, whether you share my viewpoint or not, whether you are a nice american or not. It's really quite immature also. I myself believe civil demonstrations show soooo much more character than childish flag hating. Also, a flag being upside down just shows ignorance of a whole other country. If I cam to Canada and walked around with a flag upside down all it would be saying is fuck all Canadians and Canada, which is a huge generalization and just plain ignorant to do. It really gives a bad name to those protesters who actually have something with substance to speak of, and makes those with liberal minds look bad....

   

You mean like the one you already made, or you care to explain what you said?

   

It's a symbolic comment against US policies, Johnny. I've seen American protests where they do the same.

   

It's because they do hate us Johnny. These people are attempting to fool the average American into thinking that they really hate Bush. In reality, these hate America leftists want to see this country die. Pay attention to the slogans. Read their signs they proudly hold up proclaiming, "Down with the US," "Shame, shame USA," and of course you expertly pointed out the way they treat our national symbol.

What's really bad is there is an extremist viewpoint in this country.

   

Yeah, and those people are just as disgraceful. How can anyone expect the other side to listen when they are hanging their flags upside down and disgracing a whole country? It's very disgraceful I think, and un-needed. An upside down flag doesn't represent hatred for a policey, but disgrace towards a whole country. I've never agreed with an upside down flag with writing all over it at protest, because it seems childish. The right has field days with these types of pictures because it paints liberals as America-haters. If the liberals would be a little more civil, maybe they could win over people from the other side a little better. I mean when you have people with mohawks carrying flags upside with writing all over it, it doesn't really make the liberal party look like it represents normal people. The liberal party needs to look more appealing and nationalistic if they are ever going to fit in with a whole country. There's policy differences, which are great for democracy because they encourage debate, and then there's hatred, which includes symbolism such as upside down flags with writing all over them. That flag doesn't represent policies, it represents the American people.

   

I have to agree with both of you here. We're taught in school how to do math, how to read, science. We're not taught how to communicate effectively.

If you want your voice heard and listened to (hearing and listening ARE 2 very different things) you have to say it in a way that the listener will understand. it's too bad.

So much could have been said. So much could have been heard.

   

Please don't take me wrong, nothing wrong with demonstration; we actually need as Canadian to demonstrate more on our issues of interest, but allowing those gangs of outlaws to represent Canadian opposition to the USA policy should be put under control, because not only this type of action doesn't produces results in sewing the USA policy, but also counter prodictive against our relationship with the USA that we should consider itself as a mutual national interest.

Canadian through out history influenced the USA policy with their objection as much with their support because it was done the Canadian way, and to tell you the truth, these foreigner elements that is interfering in our politic on our streets are something no Canadian in his right mind need to see either.


Al'quad'a cells must be put to sleep for good...

   

The flag is a representative of the people.

People who burn the flag have a narrow view of what the national ensign really is all about.

   

Actually, we were taught what our obligations are, and as much as what are our privileges as Canadian, and I didn't see any of that in this type of demonstration; did you?

   

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