Posted on 03/15/2005 4:30:31 PM PST by Conservative Firster
The United States, Canada and Mexico should form a “common security perimeter” as part of a broad security and economic plan aimed at boosting trade and bolstering the continent's borders, a tri-national task for report urged Monday.
“Our vision of North America is one of three sovereign states whose formal collaboration must reflect their mutual interdependence while respecting their differences,” a joint statement issued by the task force's chairman said.
The Independent Task Force on the Future of North America is headed by former Canadian deputy prime minister John Manley, former Mexican finance minister Pedro Aspe and former Massachusetts governor William Weld.
As reported in Monday's Globe and Mail, the chairmen's statement paints a picture of a “North American community” with a unified border plan and a common external tariff.
On security, the report urges a common perimeter for the continent, with the three governments striving “toward a situation in which a terrorist trying to penetrate our borders will have an equally hard time doing so no matter which country he elects to enter first.”
The paper calls a move in that direction an “ambitious but achievable” goal that would require harmonization of visa and asylum regulations, entry screening and tracking procedures and full sharing of data about exit and entry of foreign nationals.
Security measures would also see enhanced law enforcement and defence co-operation. Joint defence initiatives have been a particularly contentious issue between Canada and the United States after Ottawa rejected participation in the anti-missile shield the U.S. is working to build.
All three countries, the report said, should also accelerate and expand implementation of so-called “smart border” plans to ease travel within the continent.
“The three countries should develop a secure North American border pass with biometric identifiers,” the report said. “This document would allow its bearers expedited passage through customers, immigration and airport security throughout the region.”
On the economic side, the report urges the adoption of a common external tariff. That recommendation would see the three governments begin by harmonizing external tariffs on a sector-by-sector basis to the lowest prevailing rate.
“They should begin with goods on which current tariffs are closest, then proceed to close larger gaps, with the goal over time of adopting a common external tariff, thus eliminating the need for complex and costly rules of origin,” Monday's statement said.
As well, the report says the three countries should develop a North American energy and natural resource strategy and “deepen” educational ties, which would see scholarship and exchange programs expanded and cross-border training programs for teachers implemented.
The task force was jointly sponsored by the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations.
How about colonizing, Christianizing, and civilizing Canada and Mexico first?
Welcome to USAMexiCan...
You is a what? LOL
Ping!
How can we have a security perimeter if at least one of those two other countries is the one we need a perimeter against?
This is the third different article about this from canadian media. Where's our media on this?
Sorry, no respect for hosers.
Mexico has more in common with South America than with the US, and I don't mean in terms of skin color. If only we could kick Canada over to Europe and build a wall along the Texas border, everyone's be happy. Well, *I'd* be happy, and that's what matters...;)
To me the North American Perimeter aka no borders is a bad idea. I don't want North America to turn into another EU.
Build a foxproof fence enclosing the Fox den and the henhouse... Right.
Yup. Canada has shown what it thinks about "our" common border security. NOTHING! (might pull money away from their firearms database boondoggle and their socialism experiment)
“Our vision of North America is one of three sovereign states whose formal collaboration must reflect their mutual interdependence while respecting their differences”
How much did we pay for this crud?
Amexicanada?
Here's the real agenda. Any excuse to get us all accustomed to carrying and showing our 'papers' that are encoded with all our personal history.
Si, I understand your concept. Could you elaborate in a more understanding fashion? Eh?
biometric identifiers = retina scans.
What's the problem with this. There would be no paperwork involved. On the other hand...I am totally 100% against a "borderless" NA. Our country would be a turd world hell hole in 18 months.
(Premise) No Thanks!
Sounds like a EU/Socialist nation-blender experiment...
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