Gov. Gregoire�s statement on Canadian gov�t decision to waive border clearance fee

For Immediate Release: October 14, 2010

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement on the Canadian Border Services Agency decision to continue to waive a border clearance fee on Amtrak�s second train from Seattle to British Columbia:

�This is great news for Washington state and British Columbia � especially for the businesses that have benefited from the increase in trade the second train has generated.

�B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and I have worked shoulder to shoulder with our local mayors, elected officials and business leaders to ensure the second line continues. I�m proud of our work to convince the Canadian government to reconsider its decision in light of the importance of this train to our economic recovery. I made our case to Canada�s Consul General Denis Stevens and Ambassadors Gary Doer and David Jacobson. I also secured the assistance of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in this effort.

�I applaud the work of our Congressional delegation, including Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rick Larson for their efforts to secure this second line, and I thank the federal officials on both sides of the border for listening to our concerns. Today, I spoke again to Secretary Napolitano and am proud she went to bat for our state.

�I�m thrilled the Canadian government understood the economic risks that losing this second train would have created. Along with Premier Campbell, we have worked hard to promote a two-nation vacation � and our efforts have paid off. Since the initiation of the second train, tourism spending has increased significantly on both sides of the border. At the same time we�ve been successful in removing thousands of passengers from our roads � easing congestion at our border crossings and decreasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

�Our relationship with British Columbia is an excellent one and I look forward to developing even more ideas to help grow the economies of both Washington state and British Columbia.�