Cross Border Travel a Key Topic at Meeting of Atlantic Transport Ministers

Cross border travel will be a main topic of discussion at this week’s meeting of Atlantic Transportation Ministers in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Ministers from the four provinces will further examine the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which looks at using enhanced drivers license documentation rather than a passport as a means of cross border travel.

The meeting is being held in advance of national meetings taking place in mid-October in Saskatoon. There are several other items on the agenda as well including uniform vehicle weights and the 2007 federal budget.

Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Hon. Ron MacKinley says he’s looking forward to building relationships with his regional counterparts. “It’s important that ministers from this region bring a unified voice to the national meetings in October. If we understand one another and work together, the region and the province will be better represented at the table in Saskatoon.”

This will be Minister MacKinley’s first meeting with his fellow Atlantic ministers. He says he’s looking forward to the opportunity to see some of the initiatives being brought forward by other provinces. “Our department’s goal is to make Island roads as safe as possible. It’s always helpful to see what other provinces are doing when developing new ideas on the Island.”