Friends Across Borders
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Montanans and Canadians Gather to Celebrate Longstanding Friendship and Strong Bilateral Ties during 75th Anniversary of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
Helena, Montana (Tuesday, September 4, 2007)—In 1932, Rotarians from Alberta and Montana collaborated on an initiative that helped join Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Parks as a symbol of the long-time friendship between Canada and the United States. The site became the world’s first international peace park. Next week, in recognition of this historic partnership and agreement, a delegation from the Consulate General of Canada in Denver and the Montana Department of Commerce will co-host an event at Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park on Thursday, September 6, 2007.
This special celebration will include afternoon presentations and a speaker panel from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (see attached agenda), followed by an evening reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (invitation only). Honoured guests will include Rotarians from Alberta, British Columbia and the Flathead Valley, park officials from Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park, and Montana’s political leaders Lt. Governor John Bohlinger and First Lady Nancy Schweitzer.
In addition to commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the event will also highlight current transboundary partnerships in the Crown of the Continent region that surrounds Waterton-Glacier, as well as economic and social ties between our two nations. For example, according to a 2006 study two-way trade between Canada and Montana totaled in excess of $3.6 billion and supported 16,000 Montana jobs—another example of the strong connection our two countries share.
“We have much to celebrate,” said Consul Marc Boucher, Public Affairs Manager at the Consulate General of Canada in Denver. “The U.S.-Canada partnership is a remarkable one. As neighbours and friends, we share a common heritage and enjoy a similar outlook. We also inhabit a continent rich in resources, people, ideas and initiatives, which all contribute to our shared prosperity. In addition, Canada is the United States’ principal ally and a key contributor to North American trade prosperity and border security. Therefore, maintaining and supporting this unique and prosperous bilateral relationship is in the best interest of both of our countries.”
Peace Park Events:
Sept. 6 & 7, Glacier National Park
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While festivities get underway at Lake McDonald Lodge, our next generation of leaders will also gather for an evening event to celebrate the unique U.S.-Canadian partnership, which formed the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park 75 years ago. A group of 18 fifth-graders from Montana, Alberta and British Columbia will take part in an overnight educational and interpretive program at Glacier Institute Field Camp, learning about the history and continued importance of this Canada-U.S. partnership. The students were selected after entering a Peace Park Essay Contest at the end of last school year.
The following morning, Friday, Sept. 7, Montana’s First Lady Nancy Schweitzer will join the students for a journey up to Logan Pass on two historic red busses courtesy of Glacier Park, Inc. At the Logan Pass Visitor Center, they will join a delegation from Canada and Montana—including Rotarians and officials from the Consulate General of Canada, Glacier Institute, National Parks Conservation Association, Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park—for a Hands across the Border ceremony. The ceremony will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, as well as illustrate our shared heritage and close ties.
Following the ceremony, Montana's First Lady Nancy Schweitzer will lead the schoolchildren on a nature walk towards Hidden Lake Overlook from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Matt Graves, West Lakes District Interpreter for Glacier National Park, will help lead the hike along with Kelly Roth, Glacier Institute’s Field Camp Program Director.
“These children are our future leaders. Celebrations like this play an important role in ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders will continue to engage in the vital relationship between our two neighboring regions,” explained Montana’s First Lady Nancy Schweitzer. “The park is a wonderful opportunity for children on both sides of the border to experience this splendid piece of nature and share a commitment to preserving it.”
Press Inquires & More Information:
For all press inquiries about First Lady Nancy Schweitzer academic priorities or the priorities of the Montana Office of the Governor, please contact Sarah Elliott, Director of Communications for the Governor’s Office, at (406) 444-9725 or selliott@mt.gov, or Jan Lombardi, Governor’s Education Policy Advisor, at (406) 431-0625.
For more information about the Government of Canada’s representation in the four-state Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, see the attached background document for the Consulate General of Canada in Denver and the 2006 Montana-Canada trade fact sheet or visit www.denver.gc.ca. For all press inquiries, please contact Jennifer Cook, Communications Officer for the Consulate General of Canada in Denver, at (303) 589-8782 (cell) or jennifer.cook@international.gc.ca.
For more information on the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, see the attached background document from Rotary International. The official Rotarian celebration for the 75th Anniversary of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park will take place on September 8 & 9, 2007, in Waterton Lakes National Park.
For more information on Waterton Lakes National Park, visit the Parks Canada website at www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton/index_E.asp.
For more information on Glacier National Park, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/glac.
