COLUMN: Carillon Flashback January 6, 1988 – Gift exchange celebrates Canada-U.S. trade pact

Municipal officials from the Local Government District of Piney and the City of Roseau, Minnesota celebrated the signing of the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement with a ceremony including the exchange of gifts at the international boundary.

Piney Reeve William Tkachuk and Roseau Mayor Bernie Burggraf exchanged greetings at the Piney-Pine Creek Air Strip, the only bi-national air strip in the world.

The exchange occurred shortly before Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan officially signed the trade pact.

In the presence of about 50 people from both sides of the border, Reeve Tkachuk presented Mayor Burggraf with a framed Canadian one-dollar bill and was, in turn, presented with a cap with the Roseau crest.

Tkachuk, suggesting residents of southern Manitoba and northern Minnesota have a “common bond”, noted many residents of the Piney area hold dual citizenship because they were born at Roseau Hospital.

“It is fitting that we should be meeting today at the world’s only cross border airport, straddling as it does the border of our two countries. What better example could there be of effective cooperation between the people of two countries.”

Burggraf pointed out residents of Piney and Roseau have developed both friendship, and a business relationship.

“There even have been cross-border romances with Canadian and American sons and daughters intermarrying.”

The agreement shows the world two great countries like Canada and the United States of America can live together and can move ahead together, Burggraf said.

Also exchanging greetings were Emerson MLA Albert Driedger and Member of the State Legislature Jim Turnheim.