Doer plays up accomplishments at PNWER

Canada's ambassador to the United States played up several accomplishments that have improved the trading relationship between the two countries at the Pacific North West Economic Region summit in Saskatoon.

Gary Doer, who was previously the NDP premier of Manitoba, was the keynote luncheon speaker at the summit July 18 at the Delta Bessborough.

Speaking to the audience of business and elected officials from around the Northwest region of North America, Doer pointed to a checklist of items he wanted to see completed in Canada/U.S. relations since the summit he attended in Portland, Ore. last year.

Five items got done, he noted, including Canada getting involved in negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement: progress on Beyond the Border, an agreement on cross-border security that allows Canadian and U.S. goods to flow across the border; an agreement on international standards on ballast water; regulatory reform to align the standards and regulations in the different jurisdictions; and extension of the softwood lumber agreement.

But one notable area - the Keystone XL pipeline - still was not yet done, Doer acknowledged.

Doer noted Canada's disappointment when the Nebraska legislature and the Barack Obama administration delayed the project last year over concerns about the environmental impact.

He called the delays a disappointment, but a "work in progress."

"When you have a to-do list sometimes it doesn't happen as fast as you want," Doer told reporters after his speech.

Doer maintained Canada's support for the pipeline, which has seen changes to the proposed route in Nebraska.

"We think the amended route has got to be approved," said Doer.

Doer pointed to a couple of polls in the United States by the Washington Post and Rasmussen in the past couple of weeks that showed support for Keystone by a three to one margin.

"Yes, it's been delayed, but the public, because of energy security and jobs, wants Canadian oil in the Keystone pipeline (and) wants American oil, U.S. oil, in the Keystone pipeline," Doer said.

He expects support from the American public will eventually move the project forward. "The public leads the decisions that people will make ultimately and I'm very confident."

Doer also did not expect the U.S. elections this fall to pose any sort of disruption to the trade relationship, pointing to the co-operation across party lines at PNWER.

"Here at PNWER you have three Democratic administrations and governors and two Republican administrations that were all working well together," said Doer.

The ambassador said the voters in the United States will decide, as Canadians had a year ago, on who will lead, and pledged to work with whoever the voters elect.

"That's just the reality of democracy," he said.