Governments defend integrity of trilateral talks

Top ministers from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are meeting today in Ottawa to discuss issues such as border-crossing facilitation and energy supply and distribution.

But the discussion will not move Canada closer to becoming another U.S. state, according to a government news release.

The release offered assurances that ministers are not making secretive backroom agreements with U.S. and Mexican ministers that would undermine Canada's independence.

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and their Mexican counterparts will be meeting as part of the trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership.

The federal government put out the news release in response to comments such as those made by New Democrat MP Peter Julian on Thursday. He worried that the group's inner workings are murky and the public needs to have a greater say on what takes place.

"We're looking at potentially 300 different areas where Canada is accepting lower American standards," Julian said.

"If we're talking about fundamental changes to the various policies we've adopted as a country, then the public absolutely has to have that debate.''

That helped spur a counteroffensive by government officials who defended the body.

"The SPP is legal and in no way violates the Constitution or affects the legal authorities of the participating executive agencies,'' reads the U.S. website.

Ottawa's response was similar: "The SPP outlines an agenda for co-operation among the three countries, while respecting each country's sovereignty, culture and laws."

MacKay addressed the concerns earlier this week.

"It's ensuring that Canada's sovereignty, Canada's interests and Canada's prosperity and security are going to be advanced through this partnership and through these very open and high-level dialogues,'' MacKay said.

But critics say the government has provided no official agenda for what will be discussed during the trilateral talks, as well as bilateral discussions with both Mexico and the U.S.

MacKay and Rice are expected to discuss the case of Maher Arar, a Canadian who still remains on U.S. watch lists despite being cleared by a Canadian inquiry.

MacKay is also expected to raise the issue of recent Canadian deaths in the country with his Mexican counterpart Patricia Espinosa.

The North American Competitiveness Council, a group of top business leaders, will deliver 50 recommendations to the SPP ministers on Friday.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Canadian Press the report will deal with border-crossing facilitation, regulatory co-operation and energy supply and distribution.

Tom Shannon, the U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, outlined some of the SCC's top concerns on Thursday.

"We're working on a trilateral initiative on energy, working on a co-coordinated North American response to avian and pandemic influenza, working on co-operation on emergency management, and looking for ways to improve security while facilitating movement across borders,'' Shannon said during a news conference.

MacKay will bring Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day and Industry Minister Maxime Bernier to the Ottawa meetings.

The U.S. contingent will include Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff while the Mexican delegation will include Espinosa, Secretary of the Interior Francisco Javier Ramirez Acuna, and Secretary of Economy Eduardo Sojo Garza-Aldape.

Since the SPP was formed, the leaders of the three nations have met twice. First in 2005 in Texas, then in Mexico in 2006, and they will meet again sometime later this year.

Friday's ministerial meeting is meant to pave the way for that gathering, Shannon said.

The SPP was formed in 2005 to boost trade and security in all three nations.

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