The Foreign Service Journal, October 2007

O C T O B E R 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 35 anada and the United States are a bit like fraternal twins. Each has different identities and personalities, but they share a heritage and a history that make for a close, vital and distinctive rela- tionship. That is especially true in the province of Ontario, home to Embassy Ottawa and Consulate General Toronto. Ontario showcases the full complexity and depth of these “family ties,” including the longest border with the United States of any Canadian province or Mexican state, the largest trading relationship and, arguably, the single most important border crossing in the world. Uniquely, the U.S.-Ontario border is entirely a water boundary, so the relationship has developed by crossing over or under rivers and lakes or via air connections. Ontario has 14 bridges for automobile border crossings as well as an important car tunnel, plus two rail tunnels, a separate rail bridge and at least five regularly sched- uled ferry crossings. Six of the car bridges and all but one of the other crossings lie in southern Ontario. Those bridges, tunnels, rail links and airports provide the infrastructure for a truly massive trading relation- ship, with over $750 million in trade flowing between the United States and Ontario every day, representing over half of all U.S.-Canada trade. In fact, if the province were a country, it would rank as the United States’ fourth-largest trading partner, after Canada, China and Mexico. Some 42 million vehicles, including 8.3 million trucks, crossed between the United States and Ontario in 2006. By far the most economically important crossings are the bridges and tunnels into Detroit and Port Huron, Mich., and the four bridges near Buffalo, N.Y. Notably, more trade crosses the 78-year-old Ambassador Bridge linking Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Mich., than is ex- changed between the U.S. and Germany, or than moves across any other border crossing in the world. Unique Issues Ontario has become the largest motor-vehicle as- sembler in North America, surpassing even Michigan. Free trade in autos and parts has been a reality since the signing of the Auto Pact in 1965, and so many parts go back and forth across the border that many cars have effectively crossed the border seven times before being sold. Because auto and parts manufacturers have gone to a “just-in-time” delivery system, any bridge closures or delays quickly disrupt manufacturing operations and F O C U S O N T H E U . S . B O R D E R S O NTARIO & THE U.S.: C LOSE T IES , C OMPLEX I SSUES I F THE PROVINCE WERE A COUNTRY , IT WOULD RANK AS THE U NITED S TATES ’ FOURTH - LARGEST TRADING PARTNER , AFTER C ANADA , C HINA AND M EXICO . B Y A ARON H ONN AND J OHN N AY C Aaron Honn, an FSO since 2006, serves in Toronto as a political-economic/consular officer. John Nay, an FSO since 1977, is consul general there.