Our ties are deep and long-standing. We are dependent on each other. And no matter what the issue of the day, whether it be softwood lumber, whether it be a war in Iraq, we need to continue to work together.

We are also looking to Canada as we continue to integrate the North American energy market.

I can tell you that the Canadian intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been providing outstanding co-operation with our intelligence and law enforcement agencies as we work together to track down terrorists here in North America and put them out of commission.

This war in Iraq is part of a larger effort to remove this terrorist threat from the planet.

The agreement to place the binational planning group at our new Northern Command was also signed in December.

We want to look at how we would respond because, as hard as we work to prevent terrorist attacks here North America, if we have a catastrophic terrorist attack, it is the military that is going to have to go in at the request of civilian authorities.

We are very grateful for what the Ontario provincial government is doing, and for cooperation from provincial and local police forces all across Canada.