24th Annual Conference of the New England Governors and the Eastern Canadian Premiers

WHEREAS, in April, 1997 President Clinton and Prime Minister Chrétien signed a series of agreements based on the 1995 Shared Border Accord and Open Skies Agreement which will modernize and streamline US/Canada border crossings. These agreements build upon the tradition of cooperation to facilitate the movements of legitimate travelers; and

WHEREAS, Resolution #23-8 was adopted at The 23rd Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, June 7-9, 1998 urging that the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers work vigorously and cooperatively through their secretariats, the New England Governors' Conference and the Eastern Canadian Premiers' Secretariat, to encourage their respective federal legislatures and governments to remove any requirement to implement entry-exit control beyond airports, and instead to study the issue before any potentially onerous requirements are placed in law; and

WHEREAS, New England's 1998 trade with Canada exceeded $20 billion, with exports to Canada at $7.7 billion, and imports from Canada just under $13 billion; and

WHEREAS, Canada is New England's largest merchandise export market indeed, the region's exports to Canada are 3 times higher than those to its next largest export market (Japan) and over 85% of US-Canada trade is conducted via truck; and

WHEREAS, in 1996, over 13 million vehicles crossed the New England-Canada land border. Trade constitutes a major component of this traffic, as does tourism. In addition, and particularly in the northern parts of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, as well as southern Quebec and New Brunswick, some crossings are just representative of residents' ordinary dining, shopping, and entertainment habits; and

WHEREAS, unless it is amended or repealed, Section 110, of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, under which every vehicle would be required to stop upon exit of, and entry into, the US, document every non-US citizen, will take effect on March 31, 2001; and

WHEREAS, under Section 110, the resulting congestion at key border crossings will be so intolerable that it will choke bilateral trade and tourism, undermine US production lines dependent upon "just in time" delivery schedules, and discourage thousands of consumers from making daily trips across the border; and

WHEREAS, a nation-wide advocacy campaign has delayed Section110's implementation until March 31, 2001;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT to maintain the close economic and trade links that the United States and Canada currently enjoy, Section 110 must be fully and finally repealed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Secretariat inform the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House, and members of appropriate Congressional committees of this resolution; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this resolution be effective immediately and that the New England Secretariat report on progress taken at the next annual meeting of the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.

Adopted at the 24th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, October 3-5, 1999.

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