US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA1585

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 OTTAWA 001585 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE 
 
SECSTATE FOR ECA/PE/V/R/W - EWILKES-SCOTT; 
WHA/PDA - JCARPENTER-ROCK 
MONTREAL, TORONTO AND VANCOUVER FOR PAOS; 
HALIFAX AND QUEBEC FOR CONGENS; 
CALGARY FOR FIELD REPS; CALGARY PLEASE PASS TO WINNIPEG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OEXC, SCUL, CA, IV Program 
SUBJECT: FY 2006 IVLP, ITT Ground Transportation Safety and 
Planning 
 
REFERENCE:  OTTAWA 1504 
 
1.   Post proposes a two-person IVLP project on Ground 
Transportation Safety and Planning in the U.S.  This project 
would better acquaint two players involved in supporting 
Canada-U.S. trade via truck to overall U.S. security 
policies, U.S. border security concerns, regulation and 
implementation, including both northern and southern 
borders, ground transportation safety measures, 
infrastructure planning and funding, and broader border 
security measures, such as container inspection, bio- 
terrorism countermeasures, and marine security cooperation. 
The project would support Mission's objectives in protecting 
critical infrastructure and promoting secure and stable 
markets with the U.S.' largest trading partner. 
 
2.   Post nominates Stephen Laskowski, Assistant Vice 
President, Ontario Trucking Association; Robert Kroeker, 
Director of Commercial Vehicle Safety, British Columbia 
Ministry of Solicitor General, subject to availability once 
approved and invited.  Both candidates have full country 
team approval. 
 
3.   EVDB-formatted nomination follows: 
 
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT): 
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables 
: automated processing in Washington and should not be 
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software. 
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB 
VERSION: 3.0.7 
POST-EMAIL: slw@pd.state.gov 
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Ottawa 
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 6540 
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA 
START NOMINATION: 
ECA-OFFICE: E/VRW 
PROG-AGENCY-NAME: 
POST-PROJ-ID: 330 
ECA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: ITT Ground Transportation Safety and Planning 
(Laskowski, Kroeker) 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
This project would better acquaint two players involved in 
supporting Canada-U.S. trade via truck to overall U.S. 
security policies, U.S. border security concerns, regulation 
and implementation, including both northern and southern 
borders, ground transportation safety measures, 
infrastructure planning and funding, and broader border 
security measures, such as container inspection, 
bioterrorism countermeasures, and marine security 
cooperation.  The project would support the Mission's goals 
of protecting critical infrastructure and promoting secure 
and stable markets with the U.S.' largest trading partner. 
 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: Individuals Traveling Together 
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor 
FY: 2006 
DEPART-POST: 
SESSION-DATE: 
RETURN-POST: 
NO-OF-PART: 2 
RANK-ORDER: 0 
START MEMO POST-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 
 
 
END MEMO POST-RCMD: 
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1037 
PROG-AGENCY-ID: 
PROJ-TYPE-ID: ITT 
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29 
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 6540 
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 322158 
STATUS: N 
ORIGINATOR: P 
SUBJ-DISC: Transportation Systems 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Stephen 
M-NAME: 
L-NAME: Laskowski 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 123 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 07/07/1967 
MAR-STAT: 
BIRTH-CITY: Hamilton, Ontario 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Canada 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Canada 
RES-CNTRY: Canada 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Assistant Vice President, Ontario Trucking Association 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
Associate Vice President, Canadian Trucking Alliance 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
travel in U.S. for business purposes - Albany and Buffalo 
NY; Harrisburg PA; Trenton NJ; Lansing and Detroit MI; 
Washington DC and Scottsdale AZ, all related to tax issues, 
customs issues or meeting with other trucking 
representatives; trips are infrequent and issue-driven 
(other than Buffalo and Detroit) 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
none 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
Undergraduate honors degree (political science and history) 
was from McMaster University; masters degree (public 
administration) from the University of Western Ontario 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
Ontario Trucking Association, Canadian Trucking Alliance 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
none 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
Dietary or medical considerations (e.g. diabetic, allergies, 
vegetarian): none known 
Smoker/non-smoker: non-smoker 
 
 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: English 
ENGL-READ: 5 
ENGL-SPEAK: 5 
ENGL-COMP: 5 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
START MEMO VIS-REC: 
 
END MEMO VIS-REC: 
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Pol/Econ Janice Weiner 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
This nomination supports the post's goal of protecting 
critical infrastructure and secure and stable markets. 
Stephen Laskowski is following in the footsteps of Ontario 
Trucking Association president David Bradley, who has become 
a master at understanding and - in the correct fora - 
articulating the border and transportation interests of the 
trucking community, which moves so much of North America's 
trade.  It is essential that this indispensable cog in our 
trade have a full understanding, not only of how to partner 
and converse with various levels of government and business 
on the Canadian side, but on the U.S. side as well. 
Laskowski would benefit from meetings with DHS, to better 
understand how the various border programs work and are 
intended to work; with state departments of transportation, 
not only in neighboring states, where contacts likely 
already exist, but in other border states, such as 
Washington State, California or Texas, to learn how others 
deal with border issues; with members of Congress or 
staffers to open a dialogue on border issues; and with city 
governments that have dealt with knotty traffic problems. 
It would give Laskowski, i.a., a greater understanding of 
how security and efficient trade can be balanced, and help 
him put the security aspect into its proper perspective. 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: ConGen Toronto 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: No 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: NONE 
NOMINEE-ID: 517 
PERSON-ID: 399 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CA 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CA 
RES-CNTRY-ID: CA 
FIRST-LANG-ID: EN 
E-I-TYPE-ID: N 
NOM-POST-ID: 6540 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 322158 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 52.0209 
SPONS-FUNDS: 0 
SPONS-AGENCY1: 
USGOVT-AGENCY1: 
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0 
USGOVT-AGENCY2: 
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0 
INTL-ORG1: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0 
INTL-ORG2: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0 
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0 
COMMISSION: 0 
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-CAT: 5 
END BIO: 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Robert 
M-NAME: George 
L-NAME: Kroeker 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 120 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 07/29/1961 
MAR-STAT: U 
BIRTH-CITY: New Westminster 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Canada 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Canada 
RES-CNTRY: Canada 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Director of Commercial Vehicle Safety, Government of British 
Columbia 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
Director, Vehicle Licensing Policy, Government of British 
Columbia 
Constable, RCMP 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
Vacations to South West United States (Phoenix, Palm 
Springs) 1 or 2 times yearly for 10 days at a time 
Business 
Washington, DC 3 days in January 2002 
Houston, Texas 3 days in February 2004 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
none 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
Bachelor of Arts, Criminology, Simon Fraser University 
(1985) 
Law Degree, University of Victoria (1992) 
Masters of Public Administration, University of Victoria 
(2000) 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
Canadian Bar Association 
Law Society of British Columbia 
International Public Administration of Canada 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
Proceeds of Crime - Journal Article 
Legal Advice for Police - Journal Article 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
none 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: English 
ENGL-READ: 5 
ENGL-SPEAK: 5 
ENGL-COMP: 5 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
 
END MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
START MEMO VIS-REC: 
 
END MEMO VIS-REC: 
NOMINATING-OFFICER: CG Arreaga, PA Hillman and Eng 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Rob Kroeker, who works in the British Columbia Ministry of 
the Solicitor General as director of commercial vehicle 
safety, has a background in law, criminology and 
transportation.  The post nominates him for an IVL program 
that explores ground transportation policy at the local, 
state, and federal level in the U.S. as well as at the U.S.- 
Canada bilateral level and NAFTA international level. 
Mr. Kroeker sits on the Canadian Council of Motor Transport 
Administrators, which is the body with federal, provincial 
and territorial representatives who coordinate all matters 
regarding administration, regulation and control of motor 
vehicle transportation. This would include transport of 
hazardous goods and transport strategies. 
Mr. Kroeker envisions his future as an assistant or deputy 
minister dealing with transport.  He is very interested in 
learning more about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, meeting state counterparts in commercial 
transportation and law enforcement, and organizations 
dealing with security and safety. Better knowledge of the 
U.S. side of commercial ground transportation would assist 
him (and Canada) to better harmonize transport rules which 
he says can be quite divergent. Some examples in which  U.S. 
and Canada regulations differ include hours of service 
(hours a trucker can be on the road), safety inspection 
criteria, and border rules. He would like to see what 
directions are being taken for common rules applying to 
NAFTA, anticipating more tri-country trade in the future. 
Mr. Kroeker presently does not have any contacts at the U.S. 
federal and state levels of government. An IVL program for 
Mr. Kroeker would be a useful means of opening 
communications between our two countries in regards to 
commercial ground transportation. 
The president of the B.C. Trucking Association speaks very 
highly of Mr. Kroeker and believes he has a bright future in 
government. With a Bachelors Degree in criminology, a law 
degree and a Masters Degree in public administration, Mr. 
Kroeker has a solid foundation to be effective in his future 
work, and in cooperating with American neighbors to ensure 
secure and smooth border crossings. 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: ConGen Vancouver 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: No 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: NONE 
NOMINEE-ID: 528 
PERSON-ID: 407 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CA 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CA 
RES-CNTRY-ID: CA 
FIRST-LANG-ID: EN 
E-I-TYPE-ID: N 
NOM-POST-ID: 88501 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 322158 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 52.0209 
SPONS-FUNDS: 0 
SPONS-AGENCY1: 
USGOVT-AGENCY1: 
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0 
USGOVT-AGENCY2: 
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0 
INTL-ORG1: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0 
INTL-ORG2: 
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0 
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0 
COMMISSION: 0 
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-AMOUNT: 0 
VIS-CAT: 5 
END BIO: 
END NOMINATION: 
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT: 
 
DICKSON, CHARGE