Mark Souder: “on Tuesday evening after returning from a day and a half visit with the Canadian parliamentarians and government leaders…”

“on Tuesday evening after returning from a day and a half visit with the Canadian parliamentarians and government leaders in Ottawa, I spoke briefly about the importance of our mutual trade and our mutual concerns about terrorism. It is important when we are discussing antiterrorism efforts on our north and south borders that we not forget the importance of trade. The trade crossing just the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, equals all U.S.-Japan trade. That said, Americans as well as Canadians and Mexicans are concerned about the movement of terrorists and other illegal activity along our borders. It is not just about terrorists and possible terrorists. Most Americans have been aware of the narcotics problems along the U.S.- Mexican border over the last decade. Andean cocaine and heroin move into the U.S. through Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The northern border does not have the fences and patrols that we have along the south border. Now, as drug patterns change in the United States, Canada has become a major narcotics conduit to the United States, as well: Ecstacy, coming mostly from the Netherlands, across into the U.S. from Canada; ephedrine and chemical precursors for methamphetamines, meth, for Ecstacy and other synthetic drugs are moving through Canada. These are in fact our fastest growing drug problems.”