The Honourable Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Canadian Minister of Public Safety released a joint-statement recognizing the unique Canada-U.S. partnership. They agreed to meet twice a year to monitor progress made at the border based on the following goals:
- Managing risk while facilitating the movement of legitimate goods and people,
- Enhancing each government’s ability to assist one another in times of emergency, and
- Leveraging resources to explore models for joint of shared border facilities, equipment, and technology, as well cross-designation of personnel.
The Canadian Chamber is pleased to see both governments making the security and efficiency of the Canada-U.S. border a priority. Through our work with the Canadian and U.S. governments and business organizations in both countries, the Canadian Chamber has been pushing for more benefits for trusted shippers and travellers. It is important that our border inspectors focus their limited resources on unknown trade and travel, making the border easier to cross for those people and businesses that have already been security checked and certified low-risk.
We are also pleased to see both governments committed to exploring joint-border management models. In a recent report, A Canada-U.S. Border Vision, the Canadian Chamber called on both countries to work together on a co-managed border run by officials from Canadian and U.S. border and infrastructure agencies, with potentially a rotating chair from the two countries - as in NORAD. A co-managed border would lead to uniform and strategic border planning in security, infrastructure, and operational activities. This concept could be tested using a pilot project at an existing border crossing with low-risk, pre-screened trusted shippers and travellers. Today’s announcement is a positive step forward in that direction.
Secretary Napolitano and Minister Van Loan also put in place a Canada-U.S. Framework for the Movement of Goods and People Across the Border During and Following an Emergency. Following a terrorist threat or attack, a pandemic, or a natural disaster, our governments committed to working together to manage the movement of goods and people during and following an emergency. This framework lays the groundwork for our countries to put in place a formal border contingency plan. The Canadian Chamber and its Border Contingency Planning Steering Committee has been working with Public Safety Canada and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) as they set up their plan. We are pleased to see that both countries are working together on this initiative.
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