VISIT OF CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENSENBRENNER

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003366

SIPDIS

FOR WHA/CAN AND H (JIM HAGAN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP ASEC PREL CA
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.

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