A Fresh Look at North American Integration

Montreal, November 18, 2004 - The North American Forum on Integration (NAFI) is organizing in theCanadian Senate the first North-American Model Parliament. This project called Triumvirat will bring together, from the 23 rd to the 27 th of May, 2005, a hundred students from 15 different universities throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico. The participants will discuss common economic, political, social and environmental issues currently faced by the three North American partners.

In an original framework, the participants will simulate an international meeting of the national and subnational North American parliaments, lobbyists and journalists. They will have to prove their boldness and pragmatism in order to develop ideas that take into consideration the asymmetry that characterizes the North American region. Appealing to their negotiating skills they will have to propose, develop and rally their fellow colleagues around law projects concerning real North American issues.

Christine Fréchette, President and executive director of NAFI, points out that with Triumvirat: «  The North American youth will be a step ahead of politicians since they will have developed their own integration framework ».

Raymond Chrétien , President of Honor of Triumvirat and former Canadian Ambassador to the US (1994-2000) and Mexico (1985-1988) states that: «  given its innovative and proactive aspect, Triumvirat will attract the attention of North American policy makers » .

Triumvirat will bring together the future North American leaders in order to sensitize them to the challenges of North American integration and to favor intercultural exchanges between the students and their countries. By creating and organizing such projects, NAFI is actively participating in the development of a shared North American identity.

The North American Forum on Integration (www.fina-nafi.org) is a non-profit organization devoted to developing North American dialogue and networks. Since its creation in 2002, NAFI has brought together important decision-makers from political, private, labor and academic sectors from Canada, the United States and Mexico in order to discuss economic and political issues raised by North American integration.