C’è una piccola isola al largo della Baia di Fundy nel New Brunswick che riveste un particolare significato nelle relazioni tra Stati Uniti e Canada.
Fin dalla sua infanzia, Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32esimo Presidente degli Stati Uniti per 4 mandati dal 1933 al 1945, trascorreva le vacanze estive in un maniero di 34 stanze sulla punta meridionale dell’isola di Campobello, un paradiso di tranquillità e contatto diretto con la natura. Continuò da adulto, con la moglie Eleonor e la famiglia, a frequentare regolarmente questo paradiso.
Numerose sono le specie vegetali, muschi e licheni, e animali che vivono sull’isola, battuta dai venti spesso forti e freddi, le nebbioline mattutine e l’aria salmastra: foche, aquile, gabbiani, cervi, alci, coyote, scoiattoli, lepri bianche, delfini e balene al largo della costa; sentieri per tranquille passeggiate attraverso selvagge foreste e spiagge forgiate dai ritmi delle alte maree affascinano chiunque si rechi qui per onorare la figura di Roosevelt.
L’isola, visitata ogni anno da decine di migliaia di turisti, è raggiungibile con traghetti da Lubec nel Maine e d’estate anche dall’isola canadese Deer Island. Tanto per farsi un’idea, Campobello dista circa 500 chilometri da Boston e circa 750 chilometri da Montreal.
Il ROOSEVELT CAMPOBELLO INTERNATIONAL PARK, istituito in ricordo di Franklin Delano Roosevelt è oggi congiuntamente gestito dagli Stati Uniti ed il Canada e rappresenta uno dei tanti esempi della collaborazione fra le due nazioni confinanti:
The existence of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park is just one of many examples of perhaps the closest and most dynamic relationship of any two nations. Our physical proximity, enhanced by a common history and a similarity of language, culture, and legal systems, has resulted in many longstanding relationships between the peoples of our countries. Political, economic, military, academic, environmental, and cultural ties benefit both countries and are supported by hundreds of government to government treaties, agreements, and memorandums of understanding. Even our national electricity grids are linked, and hydro power facilities on our western borders shared.
As close allies sharing the world’s longest undefended border, we have extensive defense arrangements and share mutual security commitments. We work together, closely, through agencies such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, where we often speak with one voice. Even in those few areas where we pursue different approaches, we share the same broad objectives.
Strong investment relationships and Canada-United States trade support our economic securities and more than two million jobs in each country. The U.S. is Canada's largest foreign investor, and Canada is the third-largest foreign investor in the U.S. With an annual two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and the United States worth almost 425 billion U.S. dollars, we are each other’s best customers and serve as the largest market for each other's goods.
The Canada-United States relationship is extremely positive and marked by few disputes. At the federal level, well over 200 side agreements covering everything from defense co-operation and access to commercial airways to Great Lakes water quality attest to this positive relationship. As well, numerous additional agreements between the provinces and states enhance the relationship.
Canada and the United States have been very successful at working out the dos and don’ts of our partnership. As each other’s closest ally and trading partner, we are inextricably tied to events and conditions north and south of the international border - and we realize the importance of continuing to maintain our positive relationship through constant nurturing and steady management.
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