OTTAWA, ONTARIO
MAY 31, 2012
Check against delivery
Thank you and welcome everyone.
I am pleased to be joined today by Mr. James Nealon, Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy and by Mr. David Heyman, Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Last year, Prime Minister Harper and President Obama issued a Declaration on a Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. This was the beginning of a new partnership and Action Plan to speed up the secure movement of people and goods across the border.
The Action Plan for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness is designed to accelerate trade and travel and improve security between our countries. It also complements efforts to align regulatory approaches between Canada and the United States.
Among its many practical measures, the Action Plan calls for our two countries to recognize each other’s air cargo security programs.
Today, I am pleased to announce that Canada and the United States have reached an agreement that our national air cargo security programs achieve the same high levels of security.
Why is this important?
It is important because mutual recognition will reduce delays and expense caused by both countries screening the same cargo twice.
Air cargo shipped between our countries will now be screened only once, meaning fewer security-related delays and costs, while maintaining the same high level of security. This is great news for the industry, for Canadian consumers, and for businesses on both sides of the border.
Our economy — and many jobs — depend on secure and efficient cross-border trade. Mutual recognition will expedite trade, maintain robust security and boost the competitiveness of both of our economies.
Mutual recognition advances us beyond efficiencies announced earlier this year. Beginning in February, 2012 it became possible for NEXUS members flying to the United States to use designated security lines for pre-board screening at airports for faster service.
Canada and the United States have long shared the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world. Our trade is worth more than 645 billion dollars a year. That’s 1.8 billion dollars of goods and services crossing the border every single day, which sustains millions of jobs.
In Canada, almost half of air cargo is shipped on passenger planes. Last year alone, approximately 100 billion dollars of goods were imported and exported by air.
Eliminating holdups to commercial air traffic increases efficiency and reduces unnecessary costs. Duplicate inspections, delays at the border and paperwork all come with a hefty price tag for trading companies, consumers, and thus for our economies as a whole.
That’s why our two governments have invested in border efficiency and security.
That’s why we remain committed to improving air cargo shipping between Canada and the United States.
And this is just the start. Canada and the U.S. are working together to strengthen coordination and timely decision-making at the border for cargo shipped by sea or land as well. This is part of our plan to increase two-way trade, to create jobs and economic growth, and to reduce travel and commercial disruptions.
When the Action Plan for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness is fully implemented, the principle of “screened once, accepted twice” will apply to all modes of cargo shipping between our two countries.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude by thanking Air Canada for hosting this event. I also want to pay tribute to the many hundreds of individuals in both countries who have worked hard to achieve this important step forward.
Thank you.
