Smooth Flow of People and Goods is Vital to North American Security

November 26, 2001

Dear President Bush and Prime Minister Chrétien,

We are a group of individuals from the United States and Canada with a broad set of backgrounds and experiences. Over the past year, we have been meeting about the future of the economic relations of our two countries. A major issue is how to manage integration — and our common border — in order to secure the physical and economic security of both countries. We write to recommend ways of enhancing trade and economic security while meeting the challenges of terrorism more effectively. We respectfully submit these recommendations for your consideration.

Your views and actions have underscored that the security and well being of people stand at the very pinnacle of governments’ responsibilities. Trade, economic, and security policies are central to fulfilling these responsibilities and — for Canada and the United States — our common border has traditionally been a focal point for achieving these mutual objectives. The tragedy of September 11 throws into sharp relief problems with continuing our traditional approach to border management at a time of deepening integration and growing trade and economic linkages.

Better border management that accommodates more trade will strengthen the economy and security of both nations. Ultimately, our national security rests on our economic strength. According to the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association, more than 46 million vehicles annually pass through the seven busiest crossing ports between Canada and the United States. More than US$1.4 billion in trade occurs between Canada and the United States each day. This represents four-fifths of Canada’s exports and nearly one-quarter of United States’ exports. Statistics Canada reports that since the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement was implemented in 1989, trade between the two countries has been growing at a compound annual rate of 10.4 percent. We are, in fact, the world’s largest trading partners. Clearly, trade and investment have flourished and must continue to flow freely across our border.

Both countries maintain relatively open borders and have taken important steps to address challenges created by the September 11 tragedy. At the same time, however, the two countries need to open their common border further. Terrorism must not be allowed to undermine that objective. The future security of the United States and Canada is based in part on a joint effort to sustain and expand open, prosperous economies.

More intense economic integration, as well as heightened threats to common security, characterize the new environment in which we live. This requires that our governments advance a bold and confident vision of who we are, what we want to be, and what we have in common. We know that you agree that we need to focus our energies and resources strategically, and not be deterred by the kinds of myths that confuse and impede clear thinking at this critical moment. We respectfully urge further bilateral action on the following three strategic priorities:

Continue to meet the new demands of border management: For the immediate future, we need sufficient staff at the border to move people and goods rapidly while meeting security requirements. Strong trade relies on the efficient and safe flow of goods and people. We applaud your quick action to allocate additional resources to that end, and we support your efforts to continue to do so. We see this as the short-term requirement but not the long-term solution.

The new demands of border management require more sharing of information, cooperation, and coordination. Security and related issues need an aggressive, cooperative effort by customs, law enforcement, intelligence, immigration, and other allied bodies to coordinate activities and share information along the full spectrum of common interests.

Adopt a "smart border" approach: In the intermediate term, Canada and the United States should adopt a smart border strategy that would direct effort where it is needed — toward a border management policy that ensures the efficient and safe flow of goods and people across our border. A long-term, substantial increase of resources for greater security placed right at the Canada-United States border will not fully achieve security. Moreover, by concentrating these resources at the border, there is a risk of slowing down the movement of goods and people. Such resources can be better spent on a smart border approach.

A smart border policy would encourage innovative border procedures, which would be the natural outcome of enhanced coordination, information exchange, and resource sharing. Common technology and record-keeping standards should be created to facilitate information exchange. For example, INSpass and Canpass programs can be merged and expanded to facilitate the movement of frequent travellers who pose no security risk. More efficient ways to manage commercial traffic should be explored. Serious consideration should be given to sharing facilities and establishing unified procedures and standards for processing people and goods entering Canada and the United States.

Establish a "zone of confidence" for United States-Canadian security: September 11 has caused both countries to be even more vigilant about security at their shorelines, airports, and other points of entry. However, beyond the short and intermediate term measures recommended above, our countries must make a joint and candid assessment of our ability to provide complete security for the 4,000 mile border, even with additional staff and a smarter border. Fortunately, Canada and the United States share a long history of bilateral cooperation that has established a de facto Canadian and United States zone. The concept of a Canada-United States joint security and economic space was decided many years ago based on agreements ranging from NATO and NORAD to the Auto Pact and other trade agreements. The question is how, in the face of the terrorist threat, the two countries can better synchronize our laws and regulations to build on the zone that already exists, rather than attempting to blockade the border between the two countries.

For example, as part of the zone of confidence, Canada and the United States could agree on the desired outcomes to achieve a level of security that works for both countries without having to adopt uniform immigration and asylum policies. Because the two countries share so much common ground, both literally and figuratively, it is very unlikely that sovereignty or security would be sacrificed through more bilateral cooperation focused on shared outcomes.

Conclusion: This set of recommendations will require significant effort but will produce great benefits for our two countries and their citizens. The approach must challenge some deeply rooted myths if we are to achieve progress. First, we must recognize that differences between Canadian and United States laws and regulations that we enforce at the border do not necessarily yield different outcomes, a fact recognized implicitly by the more than 200 million Canadian and United States citizens who cross the border each year with no thought that they are entering a more risky environment. In fact, most of the differences that do exist are matters of procedure and detail that, in the final analysis, are marginal in their impact. Second, we must not assume that one country’s sovereignty will need to be sacrificed for the benefit of the other country. To the contrary, sovereignty is not a matter of being isolationist or autonomous, but of having the freedom to pursue one’s interests most effectively, which frequently means in concert with other nations. In both these cases, what matters is that the two governments share objectives and agree on the desired outcomes.

We know that our governments are working on these matters, and we appreciate that meetings at high levels are addressing these problems. Clearly, progress is being made. Ultimately, we can accomplish much if we recognize that the safe and smooth flow of people and goods across our border is a key component of any national security strategy. The Canada-United States border must remain open as a conduit for trade, investment, tourism and people travelling to work between the two countries, and both countries must act together to reduce their vulnerability to disruption by terrorists and other threats. It is not simply that national security and economic growth can be pursued in a parallel and mutually reinforcing manner, it is that neither can be achieved without the other. Recognizing this will result in both countries becoming even more secure and more prosperous.

Thank you for your most serious consideration of these matters.

Sincerely and on behalf of our colleagues,