CN’S TELLIER: ‘sMART? BORDER PRACTICES WILL IMPROVE SECURITY

CN’S TELLIER: æSMARTÆ BORDER PRACTICES WILL IMPROVE SECURITY    Security and trade challenges raised by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks call for “smart” new U.S./Canada border practices and coordinated processing of people and freight reaching North America, said Paul M. Tellier, president and chief executive officer of Canadian National.
   Tellier, speaking to the Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers, said the “time has come for Canada and the United States to give serious consideration to new measures to improve confidence in both countries that the border is secure. We should establish unified procedures and standards for processing people and freight coming to our shores.”
   Tellier proposed four “smart” border initiatives for the Canada and the United States:
   * Aligning Canada/U.S. customs policies.
   * Pre-clearing people and freight that do not pose security threats.
   * Moving customs actively away from the border wherever possible.
   * Harmonizing computer systems between Canadian and American customs.
   Tellier said Canada/U.S. coordination would “increase the level of security for both Canada and the United States. It would help reduce delays at land border crossing points. It would eliminate redundant inland processing and management.”
   CN spans Canada and mid-America, serving ports in both countries and with connections to all points in North America.