Home Border Cooperation Cross Border Crime and Security Cooperation

Cross Border Crime and Security Cooperation

Canada and the United States are committed to ensuring public security on both sides of the border. This commitment is outlined in the Smart Border Declaration, signed in Ottawa on December 12, 2001. A 32-point Action Plan, announced in conjunction with the Smart Border Declaration, includes 8 action items specific to how Canada and the United States can strengthen Coordination and Information Sharing. Through coordinated efforts, Canada and the United States are addressing issues such as Terrorism and Cross Border Crime.

SMART BORDER DECLARATION AND ACTION PLAN

The Canada-US Smart Border Declaration states that public security and economic security are mutually reinforcing. Measures designed to strengthen public security inturn increase economic security, and vice versa. For this reason, Canada and the United States are working together to develop a Smart Border that securely facilitates the flow of people and commerce. While addressing various border issues, the Smart Border Declaration makes two commitments specific to fostering Coordination and Information Sharing:

• We will put the necessary tools and legislative framework in place to ensure that information and intelligence is shared in a timely and coherent way within our respective countries as well as between them.
• We will strengthen coordination between our enforcement agencies for addressing common threats.

The 32-point Action Plan includes 8 action items which outline how these security-related commitments will be implemented:

1) Integrated Border and Marine Enforcement Teams (IBET / IMET)

Expand IBET/IMET to other areas of the border and enhance communication and coordination. A news release of December 3, 2001, announced that IBET will expand to cover more areas along the border and target priority areas, including Detroit-Windsor and St. Lawrence River-New York State border area.

2) Joint Enforcement Coordination

Works toward ensuring comprehensive and permanent coordination of law enforcement, anti-terrorism efforts and information sharing, such as by strengthening the Cross-Border Crime Forum and reinvigorating Project Northstar.

3) Integrated Intelligence

Establish joint teams to analyze and disseminate information and intelligence, and produce threat and intelligence assessments. Initiate discussions regarding a Canadian presence on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force.

4) Fingerprints

An agreement signed on December 3, 2001, will improve the exchange of fingerprint data between the RCMP and the FBI. Under the agreement, the FBI will supply equipment and training to allow the RCMP to access the FBI fingerprint bank directly, thus replacing the time-consuming manual system by a real-time electronic link.

5) Removal of Deportees

Address legal and operational challenges to joint removals, and coordinate initiatives to encourage uncooperative countries to accept their nationals.

6) Counter-Terrorism Legislation

Bring into force legislation on terrorism, including measures for the designation of terrorist organizations. Canada’s Anti-Terrorism Act and Public Safety Act contain key measures that increase the Government’s capacity to prevent terrorist attacks, protect Canadians, and respond swiftly should a significant threat arise.

7) Freezing of Terrorist Assets

Exchange advance information on designated individuals and organizations in a timely manner. On February 15, 2002, the Government of Canada announced the ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The Convention aims to curb terrorist acts by cutting off terrorists’ sources of funding through the creation of new offences under international law. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada FINTRAC, Canada’s new anti-money laundering agency, has been in operation since early November 2001.

8) Joint Training and Exercises

Increase dialogue and commitment for the training and exercise programs needed to implement the joint response to terrorism guidelines. Joint counter-terrorism training and exercises are essential to building and sustaining effective efforts to combat terrorism and to build public confidence.

RESPONSE TO TERRORISM

Immediately following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Government of Canada undertook wide-ranging measures to reinforce public security and counter the global threat of terrorism. The government identified five clear objectives:

• to prevent terrorists from getting into Canada;
• to protect Canadians from terrorist acts;
• to bring forward tools to identify, prosecute, convict and punish terrorists;
• to keep the Canada-U.S. border secure and open to legitimate trade; and
• to work with the international community to bring terrorists to justice and address the root causes of terrorism.

In December 2001, the Government of Canada passed a budget that contains comprehensive measures designed to keep Canada safe, keep terrorists out and keep our border open. The budget provides a total of US $ 4.8 billion (C$7.7 billion) over the next five years to enhance security for Canadians and make Canada's borders more secure, open and efficient.

Canada and the U.S. coordinate anti-terrorism efforts through the Bilateral Consultative Group on Counter-Terrorism (BCG) which was established in 1988. On an annual basis, the BCG brings together senior policy representatives from agencies and departments involved in the fight against terrorism. Inter-agency and inter-departmental cooperation also occurs daily between officials on both sides of the border.

The fight against terrorism has also been a focus of discussion among G8 . Leaders and is scheduled to be a priority at the Kananaskis Summit which will be chaired by Canada in June 2002.

For extensive information regarding Canada's campaign against terrorism, visit:

• Government of Canada’s Fighting Terrorism website
• DFAIT’s Terrorism website

ADDRESSING CROSS BORDER CRIME

Increasingly sophisticated international crimes threaten our common safety and prosperity. To address cross border crime, officials and law enforcement personnel on both sides of the border share information on criminals and crime syndicates.

Established in April 1997, the Canada-US Cross Border Crime Forum is a bilateral consultative mechanism addressing cross-border crime issues. Led by the Canadian Solicitor General and the U.S. Attorney General, the Forum brings together over 100 senior law enforcement and justice officials to address transnational crime problems such as drug smuggling, money laundering, and cyber crime. The Forum has met annually since first convening in Ottawa in September 1997.

Canada and the United States also cooperate through Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBET) which are multi-agency special law enforcement teams with police, immigration and customs officials working together on a daily basis with local, state and provincial enforcement agencies. IBET is dedicated to tracking terrorists and organized crime, including the smuggling of people, illicit drugs, weapons, tobacco and alcohol, and vehicles. IBET already exists on the border between British Columbia and Washington State, in the Atlantic Region and Cornwall, Ontario. Canada and the United States are committed to expanding IBET to cover more areas along the border and to target priority areas, including Detroit-Windsor.

Canada and the United States have also agreed to reinvigorate Project Northstar in order to enhance existing communication, cooperation and partnerships between Canadian and U.S. law enforcement personnel. Project North Star will strive to provide an orderly method for local, state/provincial and federal law enforcement agencies and associations to voluntarily coordinate efforts so as to expand and enhance multi-agency operations and avoid duplication and accidental interference between independent operations. The aim is to promote and improve local, regional and coast-to-coast cross-border networking, intelligence, and targeting, prosecution, training and coordinated planning. This cooperation will also facilitate the exchange of "best practices" and effective utilization of assets and resources.