Minister Day applauds agreement to develop enhanced driver's licence pilot

Seattle, Washington, March 23, 2007 – The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, applauded U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Washington Governor Chris Gregoire for signing a Memorandum of Agreement today to work together on the development of an enhanced driver's licence pilot for Washington State.

This agreement formalizes a shared objective of exploring an alternative to the passport under the new U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).

"Canada's New Government has been working vigorously to ensure that legitimate trade and travel across our borders are not disrupted as a result of the U.S. WHTI. The Washington pilot project will assess the feasibility of using enhanced driver's licences for crossing into the United States as an alternative to the passport," said Minister Day.

Canada's New Government is in discussions with the province of British Columbia on a similar driver's licence pilot project. Our New Government will be working with the province of British Columbia to move this process forward.

"British Columbia congratulates our partners in Washington State and the Department of Homeland Security. We look forward to continue working with Minister Stockwell Day and the Canada Border Services Agency on the development of a parallel enhanced driver's licence project," said the Honourable John van Dongen, B.C. Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations.

"We will continue to work in close cooperation with the United States to identify alternative documents and to ensure that the WHTI is implemented so as to facilitate the smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel across our shared borders while at the same time ensuring the safety and security of our two countries. I also want to thank B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Governor Chris Gregoire for the important work they have done on this file," Minister Day concluded.

For more information:

Canada Border Services Agency Web site: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2863