WASHINGTON, DC – At the request of Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District), Ambassador Peter Scher of the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today met with the congressman to discuss the ongoing dispute that residents of the Northwest Angle are having with the Canadian government about customs issues and fishing regulations on Lake of the Woods.
"Today's meeting went well. I asked Ambassador Scher to determine whether or not a violation of NAFTA has occurred, and if so, if the U.S. can pursue resolution of the matter with Canada under Section 301 authority or with a trade dispute panel," Peterson said. "The Ambassador said he didn't know, but he assured me that he would research this quickly and report back to me with his findings.
"I, along with the people who live on the Angle, believe that fishing regulations passed by the Ontario Provincial Government are in violation of NAFTA and of the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty," Peterson continued. "These regulations put U.S. resort owners on the Angle at an economic disadvantage by restricting the number of fish they can catch and keep when fishing in Canadian waters.
"I am confident that we have raised the level of awareness on the issue with the USTR," Peterson continued. "I will continue to work with the Ambassador as well as with the Department of State to see that this issue is not ignored."