They're Promoting NAFTA On July 4th........great

NAFTA safe, U.S. envoy says
3,500 attend David Wilkins' final Fourth
Jennifer Campbell, The Ottawa CitizenPublished: Saturday, July 05, 2008
Under bright, blue skies and lots of sun, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins hosted his last Independence Day shindig in Canada with at least two messages for Canadians: Afghanistan is a marathon, not a sprint, and even a Democratic president, if elected, will see the benefits of NAFTA and won't attempt to renegotiate it.
During the event, which started at 4 p.m., the affable ambassador joked about hoping he'd get an invitation to next year's party once he's back in South Carolina.
After the new president is inaugurated in January, Mr. Wilkins and his wife, Susan, plan to return to that state, where he served as speaker of the legislature for 11 years. Both their sons and their spouses live there, along with their brand new, twin "grandbabies."

This year's event was a tribute to the military, which came complete with a four-part joint Canada-U.S. fly-past just after Canadian John McDermott sang both national anthems.
As he emerged earlier in the afternoon to speak to the media, Mr. Wilkins first wandered over to greet the members of a U.S. military band. When he found out one of the members was from South Carolina, he gave him a welcome hug and asked him if he knew "how to shag." (The shag is a South Carolinian dance that would be performed later when the Swingin' Medallions, a South Carolina beach music band, livened things up.)
During a media scrum, Mr. Wilkins spoke about the U.S. and Canada having "the best relationship in the world" and characterized the two countries as a "force for good."
He referred to his Christmas trip to Afghanistan with Canada's Gen. Rick Hillier, where he saw first-hand the "difference" Canadians are making there. While Mr. Wilkins wouldn't speculate on how long foreign troops will have to stay, he said: "It's a marathon, but it's a race we must win."
The envoy also tried to allay Canadian concerns that a Democratic president will want to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying "they'll realize NAFTA is too beneficial and will continue to support it." He added that he doesn't think a change at the White House will affect the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Mr. Wilkins opened his speech with a hearty "Bonjooor y'all" and closed with "Bonswar mez amize, God bless."
About 3,500 invitees and their guests enjoyed traditional treats such as shrimp and grits, crab cakes, pulled pork, ice cream, Key lime pie and "American flag cake," as well as boiled peanuts, a Southern delicacy.
Among the guests were dozens of diplomats, as well as Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon; Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, who was there with his wife and daughter; former deputy prime minister Herb Gray; Conservative MP Steven Fletcher; and the retired Gen. Hillier, who showed up in his rarely seen civvies.