COLUMN: View from the Legislature – U.S. office closure more than just symbolic

The vast majority of Manitobans would have been unaware that for past quarter of a century, in an office high above the iconic Portage and Main intersection, was a United States diplomatic office. While many are familiar with the term ambassador and understand that countries position these diplomats in each others’ nations, they are less familiar with the position of consul. Consuls and the consulate offices that they operate are another level of diplomatic connection that both build relationships and help to assist and facilitate business and trade across borders.

This week it was announced that the United States consulate office in Winnipeg would be closing after 25 years. While this may seem like just another in what is becoming a long line of challenges we are facing with the United States, it is more than just symbolic. The office and the various U.S. consuls have been beneficial on not only sharing information and understanding across our shared border, but in assisting in issues that are important to both our nations.

Over my time in elected office, I have had many opportunities to interact with the Winnipeg U.S. consulate office. Some have been simply ceremonial, such as marking times of celebration, like U.S. Independence Day, or of tragedies, like the terrorist attacks of 9/11. But often, they were to work on challenges that we share or to seek cooperation.

One example was, during my time as minister of justice, working together with then U.S. Consul Bryan Koontz on initiatives related to human trafficking that were impacting Canada and the United States. This work extended to cooperation with the Joy Smith Foundation which helped share expertise and understanding.

Also, during my tenure as minister of justice, a connection through the consulate office led to specialized training for justice and police officials from United States ATF special agents. This training provided expertise in specific law enforcement matters that was not available here in Manitoba.

So more than just a symbolic loss, the closing of the office is the loss of a valuable resource in our province. More than that, it calls into question what strategy the current NDP government is undertaking to ensure, especially in times of strained relations, that the lines of communication for government and business remain open between Manitoba and its largest trading partner. As the former co-chair of the Canada-U.S. Midwest Relations committee, I have witnessed that even when there are disagreements at the highest levels of our two governments, there is important work that can happen at the sub-national level between provinces and states.

Last year, the NDP government made great fanfare of the opening of a Manitoba trade office in Washington D.C. It took several months for the office to actually open and then it was revealed that they had hired a journalist, with no trade experience, to take on the role at a cost of nearly half a million dollars. To date, there has not been a report on what Manitobans are getting in return for this half million dollars and it appears, given the closing of the U.S. office in Winnipeg, that relations are not growing stronger, they are growing weaker.

For most Manitobans the closing of the U.S. consulate office will occur without much notice. But it is another sign, more than just symbolic, of a strained international relationship and a province that is falling further behind.