President Bush, PM Chretien Announce Progress in Smart Border Plan

The Whitehouse ^ | 9 Sep. 2002

[flamefront]

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 9, 2002

President Bush, PM Chretien Announce Progress in Smart Border Plan
Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on Implementation of the Smart Border Declaration and Action Plan

     Fact Sheet: Summary of Smart Border Action Plan Status
     Fact Sheet: United States - Canada Nexus Program
     Fact Sheet: United States - Canada Free and Secure Trade program the FAST Program

Nearly one year ago, terrorists launched an attack on our common commitment to freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and an open world economy. The United States and Canada have responded together with the shared determination that has always characterized the partnership between our two great nations.

American and Canadian troops have fought side-by-side to free the Afghan people from Taliban rule, and to destroy the Al-Qaeda terrorist network. Our governments are sharing intelligence and coordinating law enforcement action to address threats to our societies. We have partnered diplomatically, working together at the G-8 Summit in June to secure the commitment of the world's largest economies to increase the security of the global transportation and trading system. Officials from dozens of American and Canadian agencies have worked together with determination and dedication and our citizens have found countless ways to support each other.

When we met on September 24th last year, we resolved to prevent terrorists from undermining the national and economic security of our citizens. We charged Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley with coordinating our governments' cooperation along the longest, non-militarized border in the world. They recognized the urgent need to enhance security in a way that strengthened the extraordinary trading relationship between our countries and the prosperity that it provides our citizens.

On December 12, 2001 Governor Ridge and Deputy Prime Minister Manley signed "The Smart Border Declaration," and immediately began implementing an aggressive and sweeping 30-point action plan to build a smart border for the 21st century -- a border that is secure and efficient; a border open for business but closed to terrorists.

On June 28, 2002, they reported on the tremendous progress that has already been made in implementing the Smart Border Action Plan. We are on-track to implement many action plan elements over the coming months and years, bringing continuous and steady improvement to the efficiency and security of our shared border. Today, we mark important milestones in two of the programs that are central to building a smart border.

The United States and Canada have the largest trading relationship of any two countries in the world, and more trade flows between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario than through any other border crossing. Today we announce a major step forward in ensuring the secure and efficient flow of goods across the border with the opening of registration for the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program. This revolutionary program partners the United States and Canadian governments with the private sector to ensure a secure supply chain for low-risk goods. FAST will make many cross-border commercial shipments simpler, cheaper, and subject to fewer delays -- all while enhancing security. FAST will be open by December 2002 at the following crossings: Blaine/Douglas, Detroit/Windsor, Port Huron/Sarnia, Buffalo/Fort Erie, Lewiston/Queenston, and Champlain/Lacolle.

The closeness of our two societies is evidenced by the fact that over 200 million people cross our shared border every year. In order to allow known travelers to cross the border quickly and easily, the United States and Canada have begun fielding a new program called NEXUS that provides dedicated "fast lanes" for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. NEXUS is already running at four border crossings. Today we are opening the joint NEXUS application center in Detroit. NEXUS will be operational at both Detroit/Windsor and Buffalo/Fort Erie beginning in January of 2003 and will be expanded to all other high-volume crossings between the two countries by the end of 2003. We have also developed a NEXUS-Air program, which we will begin piloting in airports in early 2003.

A secure and efficient border is key to our economic security. We must continue our efforts to involve the private sector as we proceed with modernizing our shared border. To this end, Governor Ridge and Deputy Prime Minister Manley will work with our key agencies and departments to ensure that they have in place efficient and effective mechanisms for consulting with the private sector. This will be part of an ongoing process of formally involving private sector leaders in our border work.

More work remains, and the United States and Canada reaffirm our commitment to fully realize the smart border vision. Some of the smart border action items will take sustained cooperation, effort and investment. We have directed Governor Ridge and Deputy Prime Minister Manley to continue overseeing implementation of the Smart Border Action Plan, and provide us periodic progress reports. In addition, we have asked that they identify and initiate work in other areas where close cooperation serves our mutual interests, such as biosecurity and science and technology research and development.

Our relationship has never been stronger. We are neighbors who share a common border, but more importantly we are neighbors bound together by common values: freedom, democracy, the rule of law, the inherent dignity and rights of every human being.

We are also neighbors who share a common mission: to protect the security and enhance the prosperity of our citizens. Working together, we will fulfill this mission.

###

[flamefront]

Interesting, a fast lane but no slowing down of anything. Will this be at all practical?

Also curious is the lack of any mention of Mexico but NAFTA fairness would dictate equal treatment for Mexico. -- This fact is especially noteworthy since in the March 23rd weekend radio announcement this year the President vowed promised Mexico a similar concept of a "smart border".

How smart is this really? Or is it just another concession to foreign governments?

Also to question is why Congress will have no discussion of this before the ID cards are issued. The Senate is to regulate trade and approve treaties but have they now given all authority to the executive branch via Ridge's Department of Homeland Security? No mention of Congress is made here.

[flamefront]

ping -
what's up here? Is this not a disguise for opening the borders to the south as well?

[1Old Pro]

I wonder how much info is necessary on the "application" for "fast lane" privledges.

[PRND21]

Ten bombs or less. Cash Only.

[Tancredo Fan]

I shudder to think just how much more damage will be done by the time this group is ousted in 2004.

[flamefront]

Right, how much info to obtain the permission for the fast lane ID, indeed. And how easy will it be to fraudulently create these ID's? Who will even care to investigate fraud if the whole incentive is to speed trade?

[flamefront]

The agreements are being handled separately but the 2 plans have much similarity:

• 30 point Smart Border Action Plan with Canada
• 22 point Smart Border Action Plan with Mexico

[Howlin]

What group would that be?

[steveegg]

From the Summary of Smart Border Action Plan Status:

#1 BIOMETRIC IDENTIFIERS

Canada and the United States have agreed to develop common standards for the biometrics that we use and have also agreed to adopt interoperable and compatible technology to read these biometrics. In the interest of having cards that could be used across different modes of travel, we have agreed to use cards that are capable of storing multiple biometrics.

Houston, we have a problem. We have a main Bill of Rights underappreciation.

[flamefront]

Like the national medical ID proposed.

[Diddle E. Squat]

And who will you replace Bush with, General McClellan?

[steveegg]

You got it. 'Tis why I included its rank in my quote from the White House press release.

[steveegg]

If Gen. Sherman were still alive, I'd take him, put him on the Moroccan Atlantic coast and tell him his objective is the Pacific.

[Shermy]

"Smart" borders are dumb ones, just using the crisis to institute even more threats. All drug dealers and terrs will create or infiltrate the privileged businesses, as this program is a beacon light for them to proceed. This policy actually increases danger, does not lessen it. The public will be subject to more searches and scrutiny than the most likely targets of terr.

But the NAFTAists and Globalists will get a .5% better return and American lives are just an externilizable cost in their way of thinking.

[Shermy]

"I wonder how much info is necessary on the "application" for "fast lane" privledges."

Probably little, and standards will be relaxed over time.

Under the cover story of terrorism, export/import businesses have actually found a way to lessen pre-9/11 checks. In the same spirit as international banks concocting through their PR firms, and laundering through their NGO front orgs, the idea that "poverty breeds terrorism" so the American public should bail out French banks with "debt relief".

Luckily, that talking point didn't hold. But the smart border scam seems to. Unabashedly a scam, a weakening of borders for some business' profit.

[FreedomFriend]

Is it the dissolution of America's borders? "Smart" Borders, able to be manipulated and cheated, able through fraud to bring lots of drugs and illegals in? Who knows. However, the point is that the American government is acting as though its not sovereign, but part of a much larger hemospheric government.

I do not believe that we have the best people in office.

[FreedomFriend]

It looks like it is about a hemispheric government. I'm thinking that we may have a bunch of traitors throughout the federal government.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Yep, you figured it out, we are all a bunch of traitors except for you. I guess the Truman Show is over now.(rolling eyes).

[FreedomFriend]

Do you care to weigh in on the situation? What's your take on it?

[Ditto]

It looks like it is about a hemispheric government. I'm thinking that we may have a bunch of traitors throughout the federal government.

Looks to me like you never cross the border. But there are many thousands who must do it daily in places like Detroit and Buffalo. I went over two weeks after 9/11 and although car traffic was only a 20 minute wait, the trucks were backed up for miles.

Unless you want to build wall and pretend that Canada and Mexico don't exist, we have to find a better way to allow commerce while protecting from infiltration as best we can.

And just in case you want to do a Pat Buchanan rant that we don't need trade either north or south, I'd remind you that ranking our oil imports by country of origin is as follows --- #1. Canada. #2. Mexico. #3. Saudi Arabia.