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Home   Border Cooperation
Canadians and Americans have a long tradition of working together to promote security and facilitation at our borders, to ensure that they remain open to trade and legitimate travellers, and closed to terrorists. Following the September 11 attacks, Canada and the United States signed the 32-point Smart Border Declaration and Action Plan. This landmark agreement enhanced cooperation in the following areas: the secure flow of people; the secure flow of goods; secure infrastructure; and coordination and information sharing. It has been a model for other countries on how to work together on border issues. Through the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, Canada and the United States are continuing to strengthen this cooperation. At the trilateral leaders' meeting in March 2006 in Cancun, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President George W. Bush, and Mexican President Vicente Fox affirmed "Smart and Secure Borders" as one of the SPP's key priorities: "Our vision is to have a border strategy that results in the fast, efficient and secure movement of low-risk trade and travelers to and within North America, while protecting us from threats including terrorism. In implementing this strategy, we will encourage innovative risk-based approaches to improving security and facilitating trade and travel.". The Government of Canada has followed up on its commitments through funding for border security and facilitation in the 2006 federal budget: $101 million to begin arming border officers and eliminating "work-alone" posts, and $303 million to implement a border strategy to promote the movement of low-risk trade and travellers within North America while protecting Canadians from security threats. Smart Border Process: Canada-U.S. Border Cooperation: Other useful links on the Canada-U.S. Border:
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