This past week I did something that I have not had the opportunity to do before. Three days after enjoying the Canada Day celebrations in Manitoba, I went to Grand Forks on Sunday evening to watch the celebration of the U.S. Independence Day.
There were a great number of similarities in the way we mark our countries respective birthday. Fireworks and flags are common on both sides of the border. Both celebrations featured lots of food and musical entertainment. It was also interesting to note how many Canadians were in the U.S. to watch their Independence Day celebrations and I know of many Americans who specifically came for Canada Day on July 1st. This is the sign of neighbors who not only get along, but who have respect for each others country.
The relationship between Canada and the U.S. is as strong and thriving today as ever before. The most recent statistics indicate that more than a million dollars of goods and services cross our shared border every minute. Nearly 400,000 people cross the Canada-U.S. border each and every day.
Despite all of the mutual benefit that is received as a result of our thriving partnership with the United States there are still differences between our countries as it relates to world policy and a host of other issues. These differences are natural and the sign of two strong and independent countries rather than the sign of a weakening relationship.
For all the discussion of growing economies in China and India, the fact remains that the trading partnership between Canada and the United States is by far the most dynamic. While it is well known that Canada exports vast amounts of goods and services to the United States, it is often forgotten that our country purchases more from the United States than all European countries combined and more than four times the amount that China does. It is truly a relationship that benefits both countries.
Many Canadians probably don’t even recognize the Canadian connection to many of their U.S. visits. Any Canadian who has visited the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota was visiting a mall owned and managed by Canada’s Ghermazian family. If you took light-rail transit from the Mall of America you would be riding on a train built by Bombardier, a Canadian owned company. And speaking of trains, every year, 6,000 railcars filled with oats make their way from Canada to Minnesota to be milled into the breakfast cereal Cheerios. The list of trade and business relationships between Canada and the United States is almost endless.
Having recently been appointed as a Manitoba representative to the Canada-United States Midwest relations committee, I look forward to finding ways to make this win-win relationship even stronger. Our respective countries will always remain strong independent voices in the world but it benefits us both to maintain a thriving friendship and partnership.
