Embassy/Consulates Closure Notice
The US Embassy Ottawa and all US Consulates in Canada will be closed on Friday July 3, to observe Independence Day.

President Obama's 4th of July Message
Today, we are called upon to remember not only the day our country was born, but also the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible. We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form, in the new world, what the old world had never known - a government of, by, and for the people. [more]

Secretary Clinton's 4th of July Video Message to Posts Worldwide
A video of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivering a 4th of July message, which was given to U.S. Missions worldwide to play at their 4th of July celebrations, is available for viewing on the State Department YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/user/statevideo. [more]

America’s spirit of democracy and opportunity is celebrated on July 4. One family exemplifies this spirit by crafting one thing used to celebrate America’s birth: fireworks (video below). [more].

David Jacobson, Nominee for Ambassador to Canada
June 8 2009 - White House Announces President Obama's Nomination of David Jacobson as Ambassador to Canada [more].
June 4 2009 - President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Key Administration Posts [more].

U.S. Embassy Sussex Entrance Construction Project to Improve Customer Service
OTTAWA: The Embassy of the United States of America is undertaking a construction project to expand the indoor waiting area of its Sussex Drive entrance. This will provide more shelter from the weather for visitors arriving at the Embassy. Work has already begun in coordination with the City of Ottawa to minimize traffic interruptions for the project. The estimated start date of outside construction is February 17, 2009 and the estimated completion date is October 10, 2009. [more]

H1N1 Influenza (Flu)
The United States, Canada and Mexico continue to work together with international organizations in actively monitoring the H1N1 flu outbreak. For additional and latest information, please see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: www.cdc.gov [travel alerts][President Obama's remarks] .

Event: Webchat with Dr. Timothy J. DeVoogd, Jefferson Science Fellow, Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of State.
Subject: Building a Science Network of the Americas.
“Scientists throughout the hemisphere recognize that international cooperation stimulates novel insights and approaches. Governments throughout the hemisphere look for rapid progress on national concerns such as climate change and renewable energy created by scientific collaboration. Both they and the State Department also appreciate “science diplomacy”, the lasting friendships between people and countries that come from such interactions. This webchat will be part of a dialog on rapid and longer-term ways to build such interactions.”
Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)
To participate: Go to http://townhall.america.gov

30 June 09
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer on Her Recent Visit to Afghanistan and the U.S. Commitment to Afghan Women
MR. WOOD: Good afternoon, actually. Good afternoon, all. We’re very fortunate to have with us this afternoon the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer. And she’s going to talk to you about her recent trip to Afghanistan and talk about how the U.S. is supporting Afghan women. So without further ado, I’ll turn it over to the ambassador.
AMBASSADOR VERVEER: Hello, everybody. I’d like to make a few points before taking your questions. The women in Afghanistan are critical to progress and stability in their war-torn country. It is in Afghanistan’s interest that human development and the unity of action take place. Only by men and women working together can Afghanistan move forward. The Secretary of State and Ambassador Holbrooke asked me to go to Afghanistan to reaffirm the United States’s commitment to Afghan women and to underscore the President and Secretary’s personal commitment to women’s rights. [more] [video].

29 June 09
Secretary Chu Opens U.S.-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue
Public-private meeting brings together industry and government leaders to expand bilateral clean energy cooperation.
Washington, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today made opening remarks at the first U.S.-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue Roundtable at the Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington, DC. The public-private meeting, which will be held June 29-30, is bringing together leaders from private industry to meet with U.S. and Canadian energy leaders to solicit industry input on the goals and activities of the U.S.-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue. [more].

25 June 09
Meet the Artist: Thomas Nozkowski
Discussion recorded at the National Gallery of Canada on June 24th, 2009 (42 min 35 sec) [listen].

25 June 09
Statement of President Obama on NED 2009 Democracy Award Recipients
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and commend the National Endowment for Democracy's 2009 Democracy Award recipients Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, Librado Linares, Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, and Iris Tamara Perez Aguilera and all the brave men and women who are standing up for the right of the Cuban people to freely determine their country's future. Like too many of their fellow citizens, four of these individuals have been unjustly jailed for defending the basic freedoms we all hold dear in the Americas. It is my sincere hope that all political prisoners who remain jailed, including three of today’s award recipients, will be unconditionally released and allowed to fully participate in a democratic future in Cuba.

24 June 09
Trade Ministers Call for Greater Cooperation on Making Trade and Environmental Protection Mutually Supportive
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk joined his NAFTA counterparts in writing to the environment ministers from the United States, Canada and Mexico to encourage greater cooperation between the NAFTA Free Trade Commission (FTC) and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) on working to ensure that the trade and environmental policies of each of the three countries are mutually supportive. In commenting on the letters, Ambassador Kirk noted that "improving cooperation between the FTC and the CEC is the type of action that will help us to meet President Obama's priority of seeking to improve how NAFTA works for the environment." The letters note the important contributions that the CEC has made toward achieving the environmental goals of the NAFTA. The CEC is led by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and her ministerial counterparts from Mexico and Canada. [more]

16 June 09
Trafficking in Persons Report 2009
"The ninth annual Trafficking in Persons Report sheds light on the faces of modern-day slavery and on new facets of this global problem. The human trafficking phenomenon affects virtually every country, including the United States. In acknowledging America’s own struggle with modern-day slavery and slavery-related practices, we offer partnership. We call on every government to join us in working to build consensus and leverage resources to eliminate all forms of human trafficking."
[Full Report] [Canada Section]
[Press Release: Canadian Benjamin Perrin Named a Hero in the U.S. State Department 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report] .

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Indigenous People. An eJournal from the Department of State, June 2009.
The June 2009 edition of eJournal USA provides insight into Native Americans and other indigenous peoples. Articles provide historical background and look at issues surrounding their languages and culture, their legal status, and how they are networking around the world.
Click here for earlier editions of eJournal.

Do you have a comment or complaint about Customs & Border Protection or Preflight Clearance at Canada-U.S. border crossings? Check here for how to resolve it.