NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Ontario Premier Mike Harris will continue meetings with George Pataki, the Governor of New York, on the final day of the New York-Ontario economic summit.

The Premier told the session that his province, Quebec and the U.S. Great Lakes states together form a trading partnership that can compete head on with the European Union and other economic powerhouses, given the right leadership from government.

“As we become stronger we’re now in a position and (of) a size that can compete successfully with the whole European economic union, that can compete with Asia, that can compete with South America, that can compete with other trading areas,” Harris told the summit, the first-ever such meeting of New York and Ontario leaders.

A critical link in making these claims a reality was later explained by Pataki. He says Ontario and New York must look to pressure the U.S. and Canadian governments to streamline processes at the six border crossings between the two jurisdictions.