A nation apart but only minutes away, the economic relationship of the U.S. and Buffalo was the focus of an on-campus speech by Michael Wilson, the 22nd Canadian Ambassador to the United States on Wednesday.
UB, by its proximity, harbors a close relationship with Canada, according to President John B. Simpson.
"UB is well positioned to play a leadership role in this regard because of its long history of cross-border exchange and its rich academic resources associated with Canadian studies," Simpson said
According to Wilson, over 300,000 people cross the U.S.-Canada border every day and over $1.3 billion in trade is conducted in one 24-hour period. Ontario is New York State's top export market, consisting of 21 percent of New York's $8.6 billion total market. In 2006 alone, the cross-border trade has created 348,000 jobs in the state.
Wilson stressed the importance of continuing interdependence between the two countries, an area hot topic with an upcoming mandate requiring passport identification at the border.
"Canada, the U.S. and Mexico must work together to build on the complementary strengths for North American security and prosperity," Wilson said.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration not only for economic relations but also for the future of things like education and medical advances.
"The U.S. and Canada share a common commitment to so many fundamental values and beliefs, including the promotion of global security, democracy and human rights," Wilson said.
In recent years, the Canadian government has increased its military capacity in order to promote peace and security.
According to Wilson, Canada has taken the lead of NATO forces in the sub-eastern portions of Afghanistan with 2,500 military personnel currently stationed there.
"We are committed to assisting the Afghan people to develop an open, democratic nation," he said.
The ambassador also discussed another priority for the Canadian government - working with the U.S. and its allies to create a diplomatic solution to end the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Canadian government donated $1 billion as part of a global partnership against the spread of such materials.
"We are actively engaged with the U.S. in a variety of multilateral organizations to assist governments and institutions," Wilson said, "which is a crucial element in demonstrating why free and open trade is mutually beneficial and essential in today's interconnected global economy."
The U.S. profits monetarily in promoting Canadian relations, but also gains precious resources, as Canada stands as the nation's largest and most secure supplier of foreign energy, such as gas, oil and electricity.
"This is an illustration of the integrated nature of the economies - particularly in energy," Wilson said.
The integrated nature of geographically close nations promotes North American collaboration, he said. During a time of globalization and outsourcing, cooperation plays a key role in maintaining and promoting the economy of North America as a whole.
Celeste Tesoriero, a sophomore English major, said that she had not previously recognized the importance of relations between the U.S. and Canada because it didn't seem like a viable concern.
"However, Canada is relatively close and it would seem practical to promote trade and cooperation between the two nations," she said, "not just for the economy but also for the current state of global affairs."
Junior business administration major Frank Robert Kingsley agreed that the Canadian ambassador's address changed his view on the U.S.'s neighbor to the North.
The lecture "opened my eyes on the importance of the United States' relationship with other nations, even if it is Canada," Kingsley said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
