For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Canada-U.S. Framework for the Movement of Goods and People
Across the Border During and Following an Emergency
(PDF, 2 pages - 47 KB )
Ottawa—The Honorable Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Honorable Peter Van Loan, Canadian Minister of Public Safety, recognize the unique nature of the U.S.-Canada border and share a determination to tackle common threats that we face, including terrorism and organized crime.
“We are working in partnership to ensure we manage the border in a way that contributes to the well-being of our two countries and recognize that we can enhance our security without compromising trade.
Together, the United States and Canada create and trade over a billion dollars worth of goods and services each day. We are committed to a collaborative approach to our border—one that enhances our security and public safety while facilitating the trade and travel that connects our two countries.
Building on a longstanding relationship of cooperation and collaboration, we share the following goals and plan to meet twice a year to monitor progress:
- Develop joint threat and risk assessments to assist the two countries in forming a common understanding of the threats and risks we face.
- Advance initiatives that manage risk while facilitating the movement of legitimate goods and people; and enhance our ability to assist one another in times of emergency.
- Endeavour to share information relevant to preventing people or goods that threaten our mutual safety and security from entering either nation or from crossing our shared border, consistent with our respective laws, including our privacy laws.
- Where our national laws inhibit or prohibit such sharing, we will strive to ensure that our separate systems prevent entry of dangerous people or goods to either country or across the shared border.
- Expand integrated law enforcement operations along our shared border and waterways to prevent criminals and/or terrorists from using the border to evade enforcement or to inflict harm on our two countries.
- Seek to leverage resources where possible by exploring models for joint or shared border facilities, equipment, and technology, as well as for cross-designation of personnel as appropriate.”
For more information or to view the border protocols agreement signed today by Secretary Napolitano and Minister Van Loan, please visit www.dhs.gov or www.ps-sp.gc.ca.
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