EVES WARNS HEIGHTENED SECURITY
AT U.S. BORDER WILL COMPROMISE ONTARIO’S
ECONOMY
PRESCOTT — Ernie Eves, Ontario’s
Premier, today warned that Ontario’s economy
could be seriously compromised if the United
States tightens border security in the event
of a war in the Middle East.
“Should there be further conflict in
the Middle East, we will immediately see heightened
security at the border, increased security checks
and increased delays in moving people and goods,”
Eves said. “Up to one million jobs in
Ontario depend upon trade. Members of the trucking,
manufacturing and export industries have told
us that we face an economic crisis at our border
and that government needs to do more work with
our American neighbours to address our mutual
security concerns.”
Eves, Bob Runciman, Minister of Public Safety
and Security, Dr. James Young, Ontario Commissioner
of Public Security, and David Bradley, President
of the Ontario Trucking Association, were in
Prescott to meet with trucking industry groups,
their suppliers and their customers.
“The cumulative impact of new and proposed
security measures at our border threatens to
shatter the just-in-time delivery system businesses
and industry on both sides of the border, particularly
our essential auto industry, depend upon,”
Eves said. “When trucks sit idle at the
border, assembly lines come to a standstill,
companies fail to fill orders and lose business.
Shippers face higher costs for labour, gas and
overhead.
“Ultimately, that means a loss of jobs
in Ontario, and this government has worked too
hard since 1995 creating 1,060,000 new jobs
to stand by and watch them disappear.”
“The strength of the Ontario economy
depends upon the strength of the automotive
sector,” Runciman said. “If Ontario
automakers can’t get their parts here
quickly enough, the U.S.-based parent firms
will start looking to relocate their existing
Ontario plants back home and stop building new
ones here. That will clearly lead to plant closings
and job losses in Ontario. We need a North American
security perimeter, which would create a zone
of comfort for our friends in the U.S. government.”
“We’re delighted the Premier has
taken the time to meet with us to discuss heightened
security at the border, as this poses a significant
threat to Ontario’s economic future,”
Bradley said. “More than 90 per cent of
Ontario’s total exports are destined for
the United States — the vast majority
of which move by truck.”
Trucking industry stakeholders have said that
the recently announced pre-clearance programs
that prescribe dedicated lanes to pre-registered
traffic are insufficient to clear backups at
border crossings.
“Ontario supports the federal government’s
30-point action plan to increase security at
the Canada-U.S. border,” Eves said. “The
time has come for all provinces, states, and
all levels of government to forge closer ties
and working relationships in an effort to enhance
the safety of North Americans, and to protect
our economy and way of life.”
For more information visit www.gov.on.ca
