Transcript Canada-US Relations

Presentation to the Standing
Senate Committee on National
Security and Defence
Paul E. Kennedy
Senior Assistant Deputy Solicitor General
February 24, 2003
Outline
• Post 9/11 Measures and Initiatives
• Canada / U.S. Relationship
• Bilateral Mechanisms
• Challenges
2
Measures to Enhance National
Security
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•
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•
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PSAT
Budget 2001 - 7.7 billion
Anti-terrorism Act
Listing of entities
Smart Border Declaration and 30-point
Action Plan
3
The Canada-U.S.Relationship
• Different methods but similar
objectives overall
• Complex relationship that is
horizontally managed
• Reinforcement of current bilateral
relationships
4
Myth versus Reality
• Myth –
September 11 hijackers
entered the U.S. via Canada
• Reality – None entered the U.S. through
Canada
• Myth –
‘Five terrorists heading to the
U.S. from Canada’
• Reality – Uncorroborated information –
FBI warning withdrawn
5
Myth versus Reality
• Myth -
Canada major source country for
marijuana in U.S.
• Reality – Small percentage of marijuana
trafficked to U.S. originates
from Canada
• Myth –
Canada lacks effective measures
to control the movement of
precursor chemicals to U.S.
• Reality – Regulations control the
movement and sale of precursor
chemicals
6
Myth versus Reality
Media in the United States and elsewhere
erroneously reported that some of the 19
hijackers responsible for crashing the four US
commercial airliners had come to the United
States via Canada; these allegations were
proven false by subsequent investigation.
- U.S. Dept of State, Patterns of
Global Terrorism 2001
7
Canada / U.S. Relationship
Canadian law enforcement has been an
indispensable and strong partner with the
United States. Long before the attacks of
September 11, Canada provided consistent
and invaluable assistance to law enforcement
officials in the United States. And since the
attacks, our nations have collaborated more
closely than ever to secure our borders and
protect our citizens from the threat of
terrorism
- U.S. Attorney General, February 2003
8
Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime
Forum
• Bilateral consultative mechanism to increase
cooperation and coordination against
trans-border crime and terrorism
 Promotes best practices and seeks to resolve
operational impediments and obstacles
• Addresses complex issues and develops
concrete tools and measures
 Comprehensive threat assessments on alien
smuggling, movement of drugs, and trafficking of
firearms and explosives
 Joint priority targeting of organized crime groups
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Coordinated Policing and Law
Enforcement
• Success relies on an intelligence-led
and multi-disciplinary approach:
 Integrated Border Enforcement Teams
(IBETs)
 Integrated National Security Enforcement
Teams (INSETs)
 Memorandum of Cooperation on exchange
of fingerprint records
10
Canada / U.S.
National Security Partnership
Overall anti-terrorism cooperation
with Canada is excellent, and stands as
a model of how the US and another
nation can work together on terrorism
issues.
- U.S. Dept of State, Patterns
of Global Terrorism 2001
11
Canada / U.S.
National Security Partnership
• Canada / U.S. Bilateral Consultative
Group on Counter-Terrorism
• Canada / U.S. Bilateral Agreement on
Counter-Terrorism Research and
Development
• Joint Counter-Terrorism Training
(TOPOFF 2)
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Canada / U.S.
National Security Partnership
• AUSCANUKUS Quadrilateral on
Chemical/Biological Terrorism
• Canada and United States engage the
world community in the fight against
terrorism:
United Nations
G-8
Financial Action Task Force
Organization of American States (CICTE)
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Key Challenges
• Emergence of long term philosophical
debates: privacy vs. security,
integration and harmonization
• Educating and advocating the realities
of Canadian public safety and national
security measures
• Engaging the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security
14