Obama, Harper Expected to Sign Trade Deal
The National Post reports:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit President Barack Obama in Washington on Friday and the expectation is that the two leaders will sign a landmark security and trade deal designed to speed the flow of goods and people across the border.
As the em>National Post< first reported in early December, the two governments have been negotiating a deal that would create a security perimeter around North America and allow accelerated movement across borders within the continent. In an interview with Postmedia News last month, Mr. Harper said his government is intent on restoring “the special bilateral relationship” with the U.S.
Government sources would not confirm that the two leaders will sign the deal on Friday but said the issue will be on the table, as will discussions about the continuing unrest in Egypt.
Any moves toward “thinning” the border would be a major departure for the Americans, who since 9/11 have adopted a security first, last, and always approach.
Relaxing border controls would also be at odds with a new report produced by the U.S. Government Accountability Office Tuesday, which suggested the Department of Homeland Security has “acceptable control” over less than 1% of its 6,400 kilometre border with Canada. Senator Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said it may be time for the U.S. and Canada to discuss whether it makes sense to require Canadians to have visas in order to enter the U.S.
He said the report shows a terrorist threat coming from Canada is higher than from Mexico. “Why? Because there are more Islamist extremists there than Mexico,” he said.
John Manley, president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, said he is encouraged that the border issue seems to be back on the agenda at the highest level. He said Canadians have to understand that, while they would like to turn the clock on the bilateral relationship back to September 10, 2001, for the Americans it will always be September 12.
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