CANADA, U.S. CONTINUE JOINT BORDER SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS

CANADA, U.S. CONTINUE JOINT BORDER SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS    When the trucks began to pile up at the border immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, both Canada and the United States quickly realized that efficient cross-border trade processes are necessary in a sustained war against terrorism.
   “Our common border has become more than just bricks, mortar and pavement,” said Michael Kergin, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, during a Joint Industry Group meeting in Washington Tuesday. “It’s a key component for security and for both countries’ economic well-being.”
   Kergin believes that improvements to security will also lead to more efficient trade flows between the countries. “We must turn the challenge of 9/11 into an opportunity,” he said.
   To improve security without hurting the flow of legitimate cargo, the Canadian and U.S. governments recently signed a declaration to create a “smart border” between the countries.
   Measures pertaining to cargo security in the declaration are:
   * Establish complementary systems for commercial processing, including audit-based programs.
   * Develop an integrated approach for processing truck, rail, and marine cargo away from the border.
   * Create criteria for the development of small, remote joint border facilities.
   * Share customs data.
   * Exchange information and analysis to target marine in-transit containers.
   Progress with the smart border initiative will be announced at the Group of Eight Summit meeting in Alberta, Canada, in June.
   The Canadian government also plans to invest $5 billion over the next five years to improve security in the seaports of Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal. A recent report by Canada’s Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defense acknowledged security weaknesses in its seaports.