Canada-U. S. Border ‘Last Line Of Defence’

(The Calgary Herald)

The first line of defence for protecting Canada and the United States from terrorist attacks starts overseas and shouldn’t mean a painful clampdown at the border, U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson told government officials Monday in Calgary.

Speaking at the annual Pacific Northwest Economic Region conference, Jacobson recognized the reality of the Canada-U. S. border has been “radically altered” since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

There have been myriad “headaches” at the border, including delays and hassles for passenger and commercial traffic in an effort to improve security, he said.

But he believes improving security along the 49th parallel doesn’t mean gridlock at the border. He urged Canadians and Americans to look at the border “not as our first line of defence, but as our last line of defence.”

A secure and efficient border is possible, Jacobson stressed, but it means investing in infrastructure and new technology at home. He’s advocating for a “layered” approach to security that reaches beyond North America; one that identifies and confronts security threats before they make it to Canada and the United States.

Quality intelligence, improved security and screening at other airports around the world, and better co-ordination among various national governments are all needed, he said.

“The more we do to improve our security efforts out on the perimeter, away from the border, the more we can focus on working in partnership to achieve border efficiencies here,” Jacobson said.

“We don’t have to choose between security on the one hand and efficiency on the other hand,” he said. “We can achieve both.” Read more here.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Speaking at GSCM Conference, June 15-17 Plattsburgh, NY

(State University of New York College at Plattsburgh)

David Jacobson, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, will be speaking at the 2010 Global Supply Chain Management Conference, being held from June 15-17, 2010 on the Campus of SUNY Plattsburgh. This is an exciting addition to the list of presenters/speakers.

The conference website is here.

Obama Backs DRIC, Says Ambassador

(Windsor Star – Chris Vander Doelen)

The Obama administration supports construction of the proposed DRIC bridge over the Detroit River but the border here will never again be as easy to cross as it once was, says the new U.S. ambassador to Canada. With the DRIC project now the only bridge-crossing application still standing for U.S. regulatory approval after the Ambassador Bridge’s disqualification, “my government supports the DRIC,” said David Jacobson. “We think it’s a good thing.

“We believe there is probably demand for both” crossings, Jacobson said in an interview Tuesday, prior to delivering the annual Herb Gray lecture at the University of Windsor. “But certainly there is enough for the DRIC.”

Jacobson, a lawyer and Democratic party organizer, was appointed the U.S.’s 22nd ambassador to Canada by President Barack Obama six months ago – a posting he describes as his “dream job.” Fixing the Windsor-Detroit border will be part of that job, but it “is going to take time,” Jacobson warned. “We’ll have to be patient.” Read more here.

Canada-U.S. Border Crossing Faster Than Before 9/11: Ambassador

(Toronto Star – Susan Delacourt)

Security may be tighter, but getting across the Canada-U.S. border today is faster than it was before the terrorist strikes of 2001, U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson says.

Jacobson, in his first major public remarks on Canada-U.S. border concerns, told an Ottawa audience Tuesday that for all the worries about “thickening” of the border between the two countries, the reality is that things are getting better. “We’re already making progress. Border wait times today are, on the average, less than they were prior to Sept. 11,” Jacobson told a sold-out crowd of politicos, lobbyists and business people at the Chateau Laurier. “In fact, since 2007, average border wait times for passengers have been cut by almost a third and during that same period of time for goods, wait times have been cut in half.”

This progress has come despite concerns about all the extra security measures and passport requirements, Jacobson noted, as well as a perceived rise in U.S. protectionism since the economic crash of 2008. Some Canada-U.S. experts have suggested that wait times are down because overall trade traffic is also on the decline since the downturn. Read more here.

Can Have Both Border Trade, Security: Jacobson

(Embassy – Angelo Persichilli)

The new American ambassador to Ottawa, David Jacobson, is touring Canada because he wants “to learn as much as I can” about the country. A few days ago he was in Niagara Falls, visiting the customs facilities on both sides of the border. He was jovial, spontaneous and very open to talk about the relationship between Canada and the United States. He believes in the ability and the will of both governments to combine the need for business and the duty to provide security, and he is not concerned about the “irritants” between the two countries.

Embassy interviewed Mr. Jacobson while he was crossing the border after the visit on the U.S. side and coming over to Canada. An edited transcript of that interview can be read Read more here.

New U.S. Ambassador Says Solutions Can Be Found to Border and Trade Issues

(The Canadian Press)

The new U.S. ambassador to Canada says he’s confident the two countries can find a way to protect their borders without hampering free trade. David Jacobson says protecting the United States and Canada from terrorist threats is a key priority. Jacobson, who is on a tour of Canada after becoming ambassador earlier this month, plans to visit several U.S.-Canada border crossings […]

But he says border security and efficiency isn’t a zero-sum game, and while he understands Canada’s concerns over Washington’s Buy American policies, he is confident both sides can come to a solution. High-level discussions are ongoing and Jacobson says that while no deal has yet been reached, the talks have been constructive. Read more here.

Envoy Sees Open Yet Safe Border

(Romina Maurino — The Canadian Press)

U.S. ambassador on Canadian tour

The new U.S. ambassador to Canada says he is confident the two countries can find a way to protect their borders without hampering free trade.

Ambassador David Jacobson took his message to a business audience in Toronto on Thursday, telling them that while addressing terror threats is a key priority, trade is just as important for the economies of both countries.

“The security of both the United States and Canadian people, and efficiency at the border, is not a zero-sum game,” said Jacobson.

“We do not have to choose either security or trade — if we approach both of them intelligently, we can have both of them.”

Jacobson, who is on a tour of Canada after becoming ambassador earlier this month, plans to visit several U.S.-Canada border crossings in the Niagara area today.

He said part of the problem with the border is that much of the infrastructure is outdated — some of it even predates the Second World War. Read more here.

Appointment of Close Obama Associate as U.S. Ambassador Good News for Canada

(The Canadian Press – Lee-Anne Goodman)

The close friendship between the incoming U.S. ambassador to Canada and President Barack Obama is delighting those who have been hoping for a better relationship with the United States. David Jacobson, a 57-year-old Chicago lawyer who served as a key fundraiser during Obama’s historic run for White House, got the official nod on Thursday after weeks of speculation.

The president announced his pick for Canada along with a handful of other appointments to countries including Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

I am grateful that these individuals will help represent our nation abroad during this important time for our country and the world,” Obama, who was in Egypt on Thursday to deliver a speech to the Muslim world, said in a statement. “They bring a depth of experience and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

Jacobson replaces George W. Bush confidante David Wilkins, who left the post the day before Obama’s inauguration in January. While his appointment has yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, there’s no indication it will be held up. In the wake of a series of senior Obama cabinet appointees stepping aside because of past tax issues, the administration has been careful to do extensive and meticulous vetting of its would-be ambassadors to avoid any further embarrassments.

Kory Teneycke, spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the PMO welcomed working with Jacobson once his appointment has been confirmed. “It’s good news,” he said, calling the U.S. “our friend, our neighbour, our ally, our largest trading partner.” Read more here.