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New "Security & Prosperity Partnership" Records Reveal Proposal for U.S.-Canadian Funded Grants for Mexico
Financial Work Plan, Agenda and Meeting Notes on Pandemic Influenza & Health Threats Made Public
| Source: Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - June 6, 2007) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group
that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released
documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, concerning the
agency's involvement with the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North
America.
A 10-page partnership "Work Plan for the Financial Services Working Group"
is included (somewhat incongruously) among the Health and Human Service
records. The "work plan" details 24 specific "deliverables" by officials
from the U.S. Treasury, Finance Canada, BANXICO, the Federal Reserve Board
- Atlanta, and regulatory agencies from all three countries. The
deliverables include "cross-border" cooperation in the areas of car
insurance, Social Security totalization for Mexico, banking, and Federal
Reserve's "Directo a Mexico" remittance program.
Among the specific deliverables outlined in the "work plan" is a
taxpayer-supported program to improve Mexico's infrastructure: "Improve
North America's competitiveness by enhancing Mexico's competitive position
through the establishment of a grant fund for development with U.S. and
Canadian resources to finance the development of physical infrastructure in
Mexico." The objective has a timeline for completion of 6-18 months.
"If U.S. tax dollars are going to be used to fund Mexico's economic
development, the American people ought to know about it," said Judicial
Watch President Tom Fitton. "Judicial Watch remains committed to ensuring
that this process is open and transparent."
The records also include planning documents and notes summarizing a SPP
"technical meeting" held in Ottawa from January 31 - February 1, 2006 and
titled, "Enhancing Preparedness Plans and Mutual Assistance for Pandemic
Influenza and Other Emerging Public Health Threats in North America." The
meeting did not include representatives from Mexico -- a fact the summary
notes acknowledge and suggest will "require contacts at the national level
first."
The documents also identify HHS personnel assigned to various SPP working
groups. The designated working groups include: communications, legal,
foreign nationals, epidemiology, and travel and border issues. (These
documents are of particular interest given the recent scandal of the
tuberculosis-infected American who recently traveled over the U.S.-Canadian
border unimpeded by border authorities.)
To read the Security and Prosperity Partnership documents, please visit
www.judicialwatch.org.