AMBASSADOR MEETS MANITOBA PREMIER GARY DOER TO TALK

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002057

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND OES

WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ/DINAH BEAR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV CA
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS MANITOBA PREMIER GARY DOER TO TALK
DEVILS LAKE

APP WINNIPEG MESSAGE 2005/04


1. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.


2. (SBU) Ambassador Wilkins took advantage of a transit
stop in Winnipeg to meet with Manitoba Premier Gary Doer in
the airport transit lounge. Other than a brief discussion
of the BSE crisis (where the Ambassador reminded the Premier
of the USG commitment to reopen the border as soon as
possible),the topic of discussion was the looming crisis
with North Dakota over the Devils Lake outlet.


3. (SBU) Premier Doer handed the Ambassador a map showing
the "coalition" of states and provinces in favor of a
reference of the matter to the International Joint
Commission (IJC) (including Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Montana). The map shows
North Dakota as the only state opposing a reference. The
Premier said he understood the political dimensions to the
problem, and said he had hoped an amicable solution could
have been found after Governor Hoeven's reelection last
year. Doer (who was accompanied by Diane Gray, Associate
Deputy Minister for Federal-Provincial and International
Relations and Trade) did not spend much time on the science,
but instead repeatedly referred to a June 9 letter from
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) Chairman James Connaughton. Doer said that
Pawlenty's letter is an clear echo of Manitoba's position
and that it presents a clear way forward to resolve the
issue. The Ambassador asked if the letter suggests a joint
reference to the IJC, and Doer said that it does, but that
there are ways to move toward a resolution without a full
reference. However he did reiterate his position that as
soon as a single drop of water passes through the outlet
then the "damage is done."


4. (SBU) Ambassador Wilkins, noting that everyone he spoke
to on the issue (including the Prime Minister, Canadian
Ambassador Frank McKenna, and North Dakota Governor John
Hoeven among others) brought a real passion to it. He
reiterated the vital importance of the current process in
the CEQ, and urged the Premier to work seriously in that
process to find a solution that does not require a reference
to the IJC, because frankly there was no time for that now.


5. (SBU) Doer noted that Pawlenty's letter lays out a good
road map for such a solution, including installation of a
sand filter and a North Dakota commitment to not build an
inlet to Devils Lake from the Missouri River. Doer also
noted that adherence to the terms of the Boundary Waters
Treaty was a policy reiterated by the President in the Waco
Summit, so Manitoba was acting to support the President's
policy. Finally, he said this is not a Canada-US issue
since there are 10 US states that support the idea of a
reference. Ambassador pointed out again that it was
important to see the CEQ process through to a solution that
did not include an IJC reference.

6.(U) APP WINNIPEG SENDS.

WILKINS