What's New
November 30, 09
Ambassador Jacobson addresses Vancouver Board of Trade
The United States' new ambassador to Canada was introduced to Vancouver's business community at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon November 30 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Ambassador David Jacobson underlined to about 160 attendees how President Barack Obama is intent on achieving economic recovery. The President's economic goals were mentioned in the context of his recent trip to Asia to develop and strengthen alliances with Asian nations, and in relation to steps being taken to help boost the number of jobs in both Canada and the U.S. [more].February 09
U.S. Consulate General Vancouver held a videoconference February 9 with the Customs and Border Protection representative at U.S. Embassy Ottawa to explain amendments to the Lacey Act, streamlining of Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) document review, and updates on Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and “10+2” Importer security filing. [More].-
12 January 09
On January 12, 2009, President George W. Bush issued a directive regarding Arctic energy supplies.[full story]. -
16 December 08
Mapping U.S. and Canadian Waters: Some US-related Conservation Programs at the Vancouver Aquarium
The US Consulate General Vancouver has worked for many years with the Vancouver Aquarium on a number of projects, most recently the annual TD Canada Greater Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. As we approach year’s end, we thought readers would be interested in knowing more about the great bilateral work of the Vancouver Aquarium. The Vancouver Aquarium has a variety of conservation programs that reach throughout British Columbia. Some of the programs reach from the west all the way to the most northern and eastern regions of Canada, as well as into neighboring U.S. states.
Following is a list of programs that reach into the United States’ west coast...[more]. 30 October 08
Arctic Trip - North Warning System
From October 7 to 10, Terry Breese, the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, traveled to the Arctic region of Canada to view first-hand the "North Warning System" (NWS) that Canada and the United States operate as part of their joint defense of North America. This was the first Arctic visit for a DCM, and Breese covered over 5400 miles during the four-day trip. [more]-
02-03 October 08
Amin Tarzi Speaks About Afghanistan
Afghan analyst Amin Tarzi directs Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University. During an October 2-3 visit to Vancouver, he gave a passionate defense for staying the course in Afghanistan in an intense day and a half of meetings with journalists, students, Afghan immigrants and researchers in South Asia. His audiences heard at first hand about Tarzi’s recent trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tarzi commented that assuaging Pakistan about the disputed border with Afghanistan—by working to eliminate Afghan claims to Pakistani territory-- would be key to future regional stability. He suggested that talk of « winning » the war in Afghanistan is misguided. Rather, we should talk of enabling the Afghan government, army and police to establish order in the country. Tarzi’s visit enabled the Consulate General to make contact with key future opinionmakers, namely the graduate journalism students at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and the University of British Columbia (UBC). It also allowed us to continue conversations with Canadian immigrants, in this case members of Vancouver’s Afghan community. [slideshow] [podcast]. -
Ask The Consulate - September 2008:
A Journey to Whitehorse
Whitehorse has a population of 24,000 and the Yukon about 32,000. «The federal government pumps in about a billion dollars every year into this territory,» according to a local newsman. «We are well taken care of,» he says «and it’s because the government wants to make sure that the world knows that the Yukon is Canadian.»
Yet, despite the federal infusions, visible also in the infrastructure of First Nations headquarters (I visited two of Yukon’s 14 First Nations), there are economic worries even when manpower is hard to find and further development seems inevitable. AYukon College official told me over dinner on the day of my arrival: «There are young people coming up here who can’t afford the huge jump in housing prices. Mining, which has been the source of growth for decades went into a tailspin but is just now starting to revive (driven by the high price of gold). «. [More]. -
Phillip Chicola assumed the position of Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on August 25, 2008. A career officer in the U.S. Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, Phil Chicola joined the State Department in 1979. Over the past three decades, he has developed broad regional expertise and has dealt with some of Latin America's most difficult issues. He began his career serving as refugee officer for Latin America in the Bureau of Refugee Affairs. Following that, he served as a political officer in Guatemala, Chile and El Salvador. In El Salvador, he also served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires during a period when the United States played a central role in support of that country's nascent democracy and in securing a negotiated end to its civil war.
[More]
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11 August 08
Two Scientific Cruises to Map Arctic Seafloor
The U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, chaired by the Department of State, plans two Arctic cruises by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy this summer, one of which will be conducted in collaboration with the Government of Canada. The cruises are part of an interagency effort to collect scientific data about the continental shelf and oceanic basins in the Arctic.
The first cruise, August 14 to September 5 from Barrow, Alaska, will employ a sophisticated echo sounder that will collect data to create a three-dimensional map of the Arctic seafloor in an area known as the Chukchi Cap. This cruise is led by the University of New Hampshire’s Joint Hydrographic Center, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [more] [Related - September 2, 2008]. 08 July 08
July 4 Celebrations - Vancouver
The U.S. Consulate General celebrated July 4th in grand style with more than 400 invited guests from British Columbia, the Yukon and other parts of Canada. Guests included eight of ten Vancouver city councilors, several local mayors, seven MLAs including five BC Ministers, and Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs David Emerson. Emerson spoke about the ties that bind Canada and the U.S. and commented that he was honored to wish the United States a happy birthday during his second official event after assuming his duties as Foreign Minister. BC Minister for Intergovernmental Relations Joan McIntyre echoed Emerson's remarks and stressed the positive role the consulate has played fostering dialogue on cross border issues. Consul General Lewis Lukens thanked the American businesses who helped support the celebration and took the occasion to bid adieu to the many close friends and associates gathered at the residence. [Larger Photo].04 July 08
The many ties that bind Americans and Canadians
Op-ed by Consul General Lewis Lukens in the Vancouver Sun, July 04, 2008 [Read More].02 July 08
Presidential Message, Independence Day 2008
GEORGE W. BUSH - I send greetings to all Americans on Independence Day.
More than two centuries ago, bold and courageous visionaries pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor in signing the Declaration of Independence. Guided by ancient and eternal truths, our forefathers proclaimed to the world that liberty was the natural right of all mankind and in doing so began one of the greatest chapters in human history. On the Fourth of July, our country commemorates the great achievements of these heroes and reaffirms its unwavering confidence in the power of freedom.
It was the desire for freedom that inspired our Founding Fathers, and it is the belief in the universality of freedom that guides our Nation. On this occasion, we pay special tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces, both past and present, who have answered freedom's call and defended the values that make America the greatest country on earth.
May God bless America.14 May 08
U.S. adds Polar Bears to List of Threatened Species
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced that he is accepting the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing is based on the best available science, which shows that loss of sea ice threatens and will likely continue to threaten polar bear habitat. This loss of habitat puts polar bears at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future, the standard established by the ESA for designating a threatened species. [More].
The proposed ESA special 4(d) rule is available at - http://www.doi.gov/issues/polar_bears.html - for a 60 day public comment period.
08 May 08
Minister Baird and Secretary Kempthorne Hold Bilateral Meeting
OTTAWA — Canada's Minister of the Environment, John Baird, held a bilateral meeting earlier today with U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne. The Minister and Secretary were also joined by the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Mary Simon, as well as a number of officials from both countries.
"Today's bilateral meeting included a number of cross-border issues, including the recent announcement by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) on the status of the polar bear, and other important issues that cross the 49th parallel," said Minister Baird. [More].-
9 January 08
Cross-border shoppers are likely to see a new US$5 bill when the bank note starts circulating March 13.The bill will have a new purple tint around President Abraham Lincoln. A big numeral “5” is on the back, not so much a counterfeiting deterrent as an aide for the visually impaired.The many new security features being added to the $5 bill are fully described on the U.S. Department of the Treasury website.
Gregory Almaraz, Resident Agent in Charge of the Secret Service office at U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver, says he and his staff are available to brief merchant and banking groups on the new currency and how to detect counterfeit US currency. Please direct any inquiries to pavancouver@state.gov. On November 29 there was a Video WebCast on: Native American Traditions, Oral History and the Indian Wars of the American West. In commemoration of National American Indian Heritage Month, Dennis Zotigh and Peter Cozzens looked at Native American traditions and the climactic struggles between Native Americans and the white man in the American West. View the webcast.
Teleconference with Ambassador Wilkins
24 July 2007 - In Whitehorse, Yukon, Vice Consul Thomas Schmidt hosted a teleconference between Ambassador Wilkins and leaders from Canadian/US arctic communities. Nine local community and native leaders participated, including representatives from the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle, The Arctic Athabaskan Council, Dana Naye Ventures, The Cold Climate Innovation Centre, and The Yukon Conservation Society.
Topics discussed during the teleconference include community development, transportation of goods between the US and Canada, health issues in native communities, preservation of shared food sources, and issues affecting Aboriginal women. Feedback on the conference was very positive. All participants expressed a desire for similar discussions in the future.
During his five-day trip to the Yukon, the Vice Consul also conducted American Citizen Services outreach visits in Whitehorse and Dawson City. He met with several families in these communities, assisting with reports of birth abroad, claims to US citizenship, and passport renewals.Internet Tools & Curriculum Design for Young Learners of English: Technology and Classroom Activities: USINFO webchat covered new ways to teach younger learners
On June 14, English as a Second Language (ESL) expert Judie Haynes discussed new ways to motivate students and make language learning fun. Transcript.“The United States, Climate Change, and the Arctic”
The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada and The Center for U.S. Studies and the International Geopolitical Center of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair of Strategic and Diplomatic Studies at the University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM) hosted an online webchat at the at the International Conference, “The United States, Climate Change, and the Arctic”. Montréal, Québec, April 19 – 20, 2007.- CRS Report : Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions Through the 109th Congress. Updated April 9, 2007.
- CRS Report : Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): New Directions in the 110th Congress. February 8, 2007.
16 March 07
Audiences in British Columbia, Yukon Territory and Alberta participated in a Webinar March 14, 2007 with Zuni artist and jeweler Veronica Poblano who spoke from the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico.- Steve Wikviya LaRance, Hopi artist, visited Yukon and British Columbia January 25-28, 2007.
He was in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Thursday, January 25 when he spoke about his native American Hopi culture and his art from 10 to 11 a.m. at the MacBride Museum. He also gave a demonstration on tufa casting jewelry making at Arts Underground, Hougens Centre on Main Street. March 07. "Ask the Ambassador" Live Web Chat -- Friday, February 16, 2 pm EST (1900 GMT).
Ambassador David H. Wilkins was available live to answer questions on this "Ask the Ambassador" web chat. The Ambassador invited Canadians to engage with him on a dialog on issues of concern to Canadians "North of Sixty". Transcript of web chat.- U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) officials from the U.S. Embassy made an outreach trip to Whitehorse, Yukon, 11-13 July 06.
- Visit to Whitehorse, Yukon by Marissa Maurer, Political Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver, 4-5 May 06.
- American and Canadian scientists explain NASA's THEMIS project to Northern audiences. Videoconference Sheds Light on Aurora Borealis Study, 18 July 05.
- Yukon Government Publishes Paper Documenting the First Alaska Highway Journey. This preface, penned by Elmer Harp Jr., Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, is the author's 2004 introduction to the publication of his field notes of the 1948 Andover-Harvard Expedition to the Yukon. 9 May 05.
- Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski and Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie sign memorandum of understanding (MOU) to Study Railroad Feasibility, 25 April 05.
- Transcript of former Ambassador Cellucci's online dialogue, 9 March 05.
- Former Ambassador Paul Cellucci formally launched the "North of 60: U.S. Virtual Presence Posts in Canada" at the Embassy of the United States of America in Ottawa, 2 March 05.
"Totems to Turquoise," an exhibit of 500 pieces of stunning jewelry by U.S. Native artists from the U.S. Southwest and First Nations artists from western Canada, is on display until March 25, 2007 at the Vancouver Museum. "The exhibit is fantastic," said Consul General Lewis Lukens who attended the October 23rd grand opening.
The U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver will be sponsoring a speaking tour this winter of one of the Totems to Turquoise artists. More details and dates will be announced in the near future.
This exhibit was initially organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Learn about the exhibit.