New border deal expected
Posted Dec 7, 2011 6:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper heads to Washington Wednesday where he’s expected to sign-off on a long-awaited border deal with the U.S.
The perimeter security agreement has been in the works since February.
There are many layers to the agreement.
On security, it’s expected Canada will begin sharing more information with the U.S. through what’s being called the Entry-Exit System.
It will allow Canada to track every person that leaves the country, something not done in the past.
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae says there are many privacy concerns and the deal should have gone through parliament.
“I’m constantly astonished at how this government does business,” says Rae. “They keep everything a big secret until the last second.”
Investments into border crossings are expected to clear up congestion.
Inspections for products and food may also be fast-tracked and many safety regulations harmonized.
The measures in the deal could cost at least a billion dollars and will be rolled out over a number of years.
Prime Minister Harper’s visit to Washington comes at a tense time in Canada/U.S. relations as TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline saga rages on.
The seven-billion dollar project was temporarily shelved by the Obama administration a month ago, citing the need for more environmental studies.
Former Canadian diplomat Colin Robertson predicts Harper will likely repeat his usual pitch to Obama that the U.S. needs the Alberta to gulf-coast pipeline and the jobs it will create.
