(Anca Gurzu — Embassy)
Last week, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and United States Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a plan to establish a first-ever cross-border approach to critical infrastructure. It would see the two nations sharing information and managing risks in an effort to better prepare and respond to natural disasters. The two countries also announced the possibility of sharing information to combat money-laundering and terrorist financing.
“Our mutual security extends beyond our borders and we must work together to mitigate threats before they reach either Canada or the US while facilitating the legitimate mobility of people and goods between us,” Mr. Toews said in a news release.
“The security of the United States and Canada is uniquely linked by proximity and a long history of close collaboration between our two governments,” followed Mrs. Napolitano.
But the history of close collaboration has not been that long, experts say. In the aftermath of 9/11, Canada has been mostly reacting to unilaterally-proposed security measures by the US, as opposed to truly working together, they say.
It is the language of this latest announcement and the last few months, however, that make experts optimistic about the move towards true collaboration. Read more here.
