WINDSOR, Ont. - Canadian and U.S. legislators from all parties met in Windsor during the weekend to discuss border security and other issues important to people living on both sides of the border.
But what went on in the meetings isn't made public.
Topics to be discussed were to range from the passport requirement to cross the border, to Great Lakes pollution, invasive species and softwood lumber.
But the closed-door meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Group are not open to the public to ensure real dialogue, says Canadian co-chair, Liberal Senator Jerry Grafstein.
Each country tables a report to their governments but even names are left out in order to foster candid discussions.
"We're here to understand each other and that's why it's not public. We're here to make very candid exchanges," he explains.
"We hear the debates between the Republican and Democratic side. They hear the debates between the NDP and the Liberal side. We're here to find out what they're thinking to see if we can come up with a common cause on key issues that affect both our countries."
U.S. co-chair Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar says the group's work has never been so important given the geographical proximity of both countries so it makes sense to work collectively.
"I think the goal from our perspective is for us to continue to build a great relationship with the country of Canada. We share a border. We share so many mutual concerns," she says.
This weekend, her focus will be on energy independence and climate change and border security but not at the risk of negatively affecting commerce.
At the top of their agenda is the U.S. plan for mandatory passports for travel between the two countries.
"We've been working hard on that," added Grafstein, who says it's also a question of trade.
"We didn't want trade and traffic to really snuff out what essentially is the biggest deal in the world."
The Canadian contingent will table a report of its findings both in the House and the Senate in a month.
