US embassy cable - 04OTTAWA3366

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003366 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CAN AND H (JIM HAGAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP, ASEC, PREL, CA, Border Patrol, Patriot Act 
SUBJECT: VISIT OF CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENSENBRENNER 
 
1.  (U) Congressman James S. Sensenbrenner, Jr., Republican 
Member of Congress from Wisconsin and Chairman of the House 
Judiciary Committee, visited Ottawa December 8-10, 2004.  He 
was accompanied by Judiciary Committee Chief of Staff and 
General Counsel Philip G. Kiko. 
 
2.  (U) Congressman Sensenbrenner, who was the principal 
author of the Patriot Act, maintained a busy schedule that 
included meetings with Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler, 
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Giuliano 
Zaccardelli, and Chairman Colin Kenny and members of the 
Senate Committee on National Security and Defence to discuss 
U.S.-Canada border security issues and joint management of 
the border.  Representative Sensenbrenner also met with 
President Alain Jolicoeur of the Canada Border Services 
Agency, National Security Advisor Rob Wright and the National 
Security Secretariat, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 
of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McLellan to 
review implementation of the Smart Border Action Plan. 
 
3.  (U) Congressman Sensenbrenner visited Canada's Parliament 
and attended Question Period in the House of Commons.  He met 
with Leader of the Official Opposition Stephen Harper, as 
well as Chairman Paul Devillers and staff of the House 
Committee on Justice, Human Rights, and Public Safety and 
Emergency Preparedness.  The Ambassador hosted a luncheon for 
the Congressman and Mr. Kiko with five Members of Parliament 
serving on the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Committee: 
Wayne Easter, Marlene Jennings, Peter Stoffer, Lee 
Richardson, and Greg Thompson.  The Deputy Chief of Mission 
hosted a luncheon with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Peter Harder and Assistant Deputy Minister (Americas) Bill 
Crosbie, and Assistant Deputy Minister of International Trade 
and Chief WTO Negotiator John Gero.  Prior to his departure 
from Ottawa's McDonald-Cartier International Airport, 
Congressman Sensenbrenner met U.S. pre-clearance officials 
and observed pre-clearance operations for outgoing 
passengers. 
 
4.  (U) Comment:  Post believes that Congressman 
Sensenbrenner's discussions with Canadian officials and 
Parliamentarians were highly productive in taking stock of 
improvements the United States and Canada have made in border 
security--and in identifying what more needs to be done.  We 
anticipate that these these exchanges will prove to be 
helpful in advancing Mission Canada's priorities regarding 
border security.  Post appreciates the efforts of Congressman 
Sensenbrenner and Chief of Staff Kiko in moving the ball 
forward on border security.  End comment. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
CELLUCCI