Declare Canada Day in NY

January 10, 2017, as Canada Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, Canada is New York's primary export market, with $12.4 billion in exports and $30.4 billion in bilateral trade; and WHEREAS, New York exports to Canada include $663 million in aluminum products, $558 million in paper products, $436 million in exports of natural gas and other gases, $380 million in plastics, and $322 million in motor vehicle parts; and WHEREAS, In addition, New York exports services to Canada in such areas as travel, financial services, business, professional and technical services, royalties and license fees and telecommunications, computer and information services; and WHEREAS, New York and Canada share an international border measuring

445 miles in length with 17 international border crossings including three of the United States' top 10 busiest border crossings, and featuring the important international trade corridors, the Quebec-New York Corridor, the Capitol Corridor, and Continental One, as well as the second busiest crossing between Canada and the United States at the Peace Bridge; and WHEREAS, The New York-Canada partnership boasts the largest bilateral tourism industry in the United States with over 5.9 million Canadians visiting New York, accounting for over $1.7 billion in expenditures in 2015; and WHEREAS, Reflective of this strong security relationship, the Eastern Air Defense Sector, headquartered in Rome, New York, is staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen and a Canadian Forces Detachment; this unit supports NORAD's integrated warning and attach assessment mission and the U.S. Northern Command's homeland defense mission; and WHEREAS, Millions of New Yorkers depend on Canada and its vast energy reserves to fuel our State, importing over $3.6 billion worth of energy from Canada in 2015; and WHEREAS, The economies of Canada and New York are tightly linked through integrated cross-border supply chains that keep our firms competitive, including auto parts products which cross the border sometimes several times before completion; and WHEREAS, In 2017, as Canada marks 150 years of confederation, it is appropriate to highlight the deep economic, cultural and familial ties shared by Canada and New York; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim January 10, 2017, as Canada Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, and Consul General Phyllis Yaffe of the Consulate General of Canada in New York.