Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the member's engagement on this very important issue. I fully agree with the member's statement.
In the United States the fact is that Congress plays an incredible role in decision making. We as parliamentarians have a role to play, not just here tonight in sharing our points of view with Canadians across the country but we have an obligation as well to meet the members of Congress in the United States and discuss our mutual concerns. Many of them share similar concerns with us in Canada.
It is not just about the executive branch of the Canadian government dealing with the executive branch of the United States government. It is also about the legislators. We as legislators have that obligation and an opportunity as well to speak with our American friends to make sure that they also share our concerns.
This country has a profound understanding of the American situation and the very horrific events that happened there on September 11, 2001. There is also an incredible history of the bond between Americans and Canadians and we cannot have that interfered with in any way, shape or form by a very horrific terrorist attack which took place in the U.S.
We have to make sure that we do not impede the flow of our goods and people across the border between Canada and the U.S. Ours is a relationship that has spanned time. We must do everything possible to move forward and not backward.
The European model is becoming more and more integrated. It is not a problem to cross from one country to another without any type of documentation. In Canada we have a situation where we still require some form of documentation. To become more restrictive when we know that most Americans and many Canadians do not have passports would be a huge impediment. We as legislators have an opportunity to meet with our counterparts in the U.S. to discuss our concerns with those congressmen in order that they understand our concerns and to make sure that this does not happen.