April 29, 2004
Washington, D.C.

NEWS RELEASE

Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced details of a new public advocacy and legislative secretariat to be established at the Canadian Embassy in Washington to further Canadian interests in the United States.

"The Government has made very clear that we are committed to improving the management and coherence of our relations with the U.S.," said the Prime Minister. Canadians are best served by a more sophisticated approach to Canada-U.S. relations which recognizes and respects the valuable roles of legislators and representatives from various levels of government. The new secretariat will enhance Canada's overall advocacy efforts in the United States, while supporting a single Canadian voice."

Expected to be operational by the fall, the Secretariat will work with provinces and territories and Parliamentarians to plan and support new outreach activities directed at members of the U.S. Congress – both on Capitol Hill and in their districts. It will allow for the co-location of provincial and territorial representatives at the Canadian Embassy in support of this mandate. The Secretariat will also assist travelling parliamentary committees, respond to requests by Members of Parliament and Senators, and plan and co-ordinate the delivery of more regular, non-partisan briefings.


The secretariat will also allow the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) to have an expanded role, in order that its members may undertake more frequent advocacy activities in Congressional districts, in addition to the annual IPG meeting. Furthermore, the two Vice-Chairs of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham and Minister of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) Joe Comuzzi, may also mandate initiatives to be carried out by the secretariat in support of the work of Parliamentarians.


Mr. Colin Robertson, currently Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles, will head the Secretariat and report to the Ambassador.

The Secretariat will complement Canada's Enhanced Representation Initiative across the U.S. New and existing consulates will work with the secretariat to employ the knowledge and enthusiasm of Canadian legislators across the diverse regions of the U.S. Provinces and territories have been invited to assign staff to any one of the consulates to add their expertise and influence to Canada's message.

Canada has an embassy in Washington and 12 consulates general located throughout the continental United States (Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle) as well as consulates in Houston, Raleigh, San Diego, and San Francisco and trade offices in San Jose/Silicon Valley and Princeton, New Jersey. By the fall of 2004, Canada will have opened additional consulates in Anchorage, Philadelphia, and Phoenix, bringing its representation in the United States to 22 offices.

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Pierre Pettigrew and Scott Brison, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister for Canada U.S. Relations, will continue to work with provincial and parliamentary colleagues to enhance their participation in the projection of Canadian interests in the United States.

The February 2004 Speech from the Throne committed the government to improving federal, provincial, territorial partnership in implementing a new, more sophisticated approach to the management of Canada - US relations, and to increasing the role of Parliamentarians in advocating and defending Canadian interests.


BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES - COLIN ROBERTSON

Date of Birth:
November 27, 1954
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Education:

1976
BA Honours, University of Manitoba

1978
MA, International Affairs, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

Professional Experience:

2000-
Consul General
Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles

1998-2000
Director General, Communications, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

1996-98
Executive Director, Public Affairs, Treasury Board Secretariat

1994-96
Director General, Public Affairs, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

1993-94
Director, Foreign Policy Communications Division

1993
NAFTA Implementation Team

1992-93
Policy Planning Secretariat

1987-92
Counsellor and Consul in Hong Kong



1986-87
Trade Negotiations Office

1985-86
United States Bureau

1984-85
Manager, Corporate Relations and Public Affairs for Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation

1982-84
Legislative Assistant, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs

1981-82
Federal-Provincial Relations

1978-81
Vice Consul, New York Consulate General

1978
Media Relations Office

1977-78
United Nations Bureau

1977
Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations