Boundary Waters Treaty Centennial Celebration

Bureau of Public Affairs

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

June 12, 2009

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• On June 13, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will join Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon on the Rainbow Bridge connecting Niagara Falls, New York to Ontario, Canada to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty.

• The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 created the independent International Joint Commission (IJC) to prevent and resolve boundary waters disputes between Canada and the United States. The IJC makes decisions on applications for projects such as dams in boundary waters and regulates the operations of many of those projects. The IJC also has a permanent reference under the 1972 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to help the two national governments restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of those waters.

• The Celebrations have been organized by members of the BWT100 Committee comprised initially of the Niagara 10 Leaders representing the ten local jurisdictions bordering the international Niagara River boundary (the Cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls New York and Niagara Falls Ontario, the Towns of Fort Erie and Niagara on the Lake, the Villages of Lewiston and Youngstown, Erie County, Niagara County and the Regional Municipality of Niagara), the IJC, the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto, the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo, the Niagara Parks Commission, New York State Parks and the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. A full listing is available at www.oursharedwaters.com

• After the morning ceremony, Secretary Clinton and Minister Cannon will meet to discuss bilateral and international issues at the Carillon Tower on the Canadian side of the bridge (closed to press). Secretary Clinton and Minister Cannon will hold a joint press availability following their meeting.

• This centennial celebration is a visible sign of the continuing and vibrant tradition of collaboration, communication, and partnership between the United States and Canada on issues pertaining to our shared natural resources.

PRN: 2009/585