Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan

Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan
Name	Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan
Type	Policy initiative
Date	2011
Jurisdiction	Canada
Introduced by	Stephen Harper
Related legislation	Safe Third Country Agreement, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
Status	Implemented

Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan The Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan was a 2011 Canadian policy initiative announced by Stephen Harper aiming to synchronize border controls and trade facilitation between Canada and the United States. It combined immigration, customs, transport, and trade measures to enhance cross-border security while promoting bilateral commerce among stakeholders including Border Services Agency (Canada), United States Customs and Border Protection, and private-sector partners such as the Business Council of Canada and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The plan intersected with existing treaties and agreements between Ottawa and Washington, D.C., influencing debates in provincial legislatures and international forums such as the G8 Summit.

Background and Rationale

The plan emerged from post-9/11 shifts in North American policy where actors like Department of Homeland Security (United States), Public Safety Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police sought integrated approaches similar to precedents set by the Smart Border Declaration and the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. Economic pressures cited by proponents referenced analyses from institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, while opposition drew on critiques from groups including the Canadian Labour Congress and provincial bodies like the Government of Ontario. Historical parallels were made to earlier cross-border initiatives such as the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

Objectives and Strategic Priorities

Key objectives delineated alignment with priorities of the Department of Finance (Canada), protection aims of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and market access goals championed by trade organizations like Export Development Canada and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Strategic priorities included strengthening entry-exit systems coordinated with Enhanced Drivers License programs, advancing trusted-traveler initiatives comparable to NEXUS (frequent traveler program), modernizing customs processes echoing the World Customs Organization frameworks, and securing supply chains with standards used by Transport Canada and Federal Aviation Administration.

Policy Measures and Legislative Framework

Policy measures invoked statutory authorities such as provisions within the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and customs provisions akin to those administered by Canada Border Services Agency. Legislative instruments paralleled approaches seen in the PATRIOT Act for information-sharing protocols and referenced data governance models from the Privacy Act (Canada) and the Privacy Act (United States). The plan proposed bilateral memoranda of understanding with entities like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation and regulatory adjustments reminiscent of reforms pursued by the Canada Transportation Act and the U.S. Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act.

Implementation and Operational Components

Operationalization relied on technologies comparable to systems used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including biometric screening tested in projects with Canadian Security Intelligence Service interest and pilot programs modeled on FAST (Free and Secure Trade). Joint operations involved coordination between provincial agencies such as the Quebec Ministry of Public Security, municipal authorities like the City of Toronto, and U.S. state partners including New York (state). Infrastructure projects considered investments similar to those funded by the Infrastructure Canada program and advised by think tanks such as the Conference Board of Canada and the Brookings Institution.

Economic Impact and Competitiveness Measures

Advocates argued the plan would enhance competitiveness for exporters represented by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and multinational firms including Bombardier and General Motors by reducing border delay costs referenced in studies from Statistics Canada and the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Measures to accelerate customs clearance paralleled initiatives championed by the World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum, with targeted support programs analogous to those from Export Development Canada and the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Critics cited potential effects on labor markets highlighted by the Canadian Labour Congress and sectoral associations such as Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Governance, Oversight, and Interagency Coordination

Governance structures proposed oversight mechanisms involving the Privy Council Office (Canada), interagency working groups with counterpart committees in the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and review panels drawing expertise from the Canadian Security Intelligence Review Committee and legislative committees like the House of Commons of Canada Standing Committee on Public Safety. Transparency advocates urged independent audits by bodies similar to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and parliamentary scrutiny comparable to processes in the United States Congress.

Evaluation, Metrics, and Future Directions

Evaluation frameworks recommended performance indicators used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and benchmarking against metrics from the World Bank Doing Business reports, measuring cross-border transit times, trade volumes reported by Statistics Canada, and security incident rates tracked by agencies like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Future directions proposed deeper integration with trilateral initiatives involving Mexico and references to continental dialogues akin to the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, with potential evolution shaped by international jurisprudence such as rulings from the Supreme Court of Canada and decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Category:Canadian public policy