Home Border Cooperation Key Border Reports Creating Tomorrow's Border Together - The Canada-United States Partnership(CUSP)

Creating Tomorrow's Border Together - The Canada-United States Partnership(CUSP)

Building a border for the 21^st century means that the focus must be on addressing tomorrow's challenges, not just today's concerns. Discussions regarding the future of our border, though, cannot merely involve governments - the voices of all facets of civil society must be heard.

In October 1999, Prime Minister Chrétien and President Clinton confirmed guiding principles for Canada-U.S. border cooperation:

• streamline and harmonize border policies and management;

• expand cooperation to increase efficiencies in customs, immigration, law enforcement and environmental protection at and beyond the border; and,

• collaborate on common threats from outside Canada and the United States.

The Prime Minister and President also recognized that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State have a special role in implementing these principles through the newly-formed Canada-United States Partnership (CUSP).

CUSP is intended to serve as a forum to promote an integrated, binational approach to border management, and foster public dialogue and research on the border of the future.