CUSLI 2012 Conference: Concluding Remarks

by Keith Edmund White

Rear Admiral Michael N. Parks:  “Everything we do in the U.S. Coast Guard is Water-Marked By Canada.”

Rear Admiral Michael N. Parks spoke on the importance of the Beyond the Border Initiative (BTB Initiative) builds on Canada and the United State’s strong relationship, and is necessary for the future security and economic development of both countries.  Noting that the robust Canadian-U.S. relationship, dating back to the Ogdensburg Declaration that Prime Minster King and President Franklin Roosevelt announced in 1940, he heralded the BTB Imitative as “exactly the right approach.”

Addressing if, indeed, security will trump trade along the Canada-U.S. border, his answer was:  “it depends.”  The critical question will be whether we balance the security and trade interests correctly.  And to do this there are three principles:  shared priorities, seamless operations, and synchronized priorities.     Starting with synchronized priorities, Rear Admiral Parks noted that the standards Canada and the United States need to have predictable standards to ensure their industries stay competitive.  Furthermore, since our trading relationship depends shared critical infrastructure and environmental concerns, we have already worked together to synchronize priorities.  Parks touted one such example, the agreement on ballast water agreement between Canada and the United States which has stopped new species from endangering the Great Lakes waters.

Then speaking on shared awareness, Parks touted current programs underway that show both countries are sharing information.  His key example:  Marine security operations centers.  But, to build on this success, Parks stated that stakeholders must be incorporated, legal frameworks

And looking at seamless operations, Rear Admiral pointed to Shiprider Program that shows Canada and the United States willing to bring their law enforcement and security personnel together in performing their services on the border.  Parks then went over that the next step is to bring this on the land:  with customs and inspections. 

But we must admit, Parks continued, that security and trade are competing principles.  The trucking community’s number one concern is wait times, not risk management.  But this doesn’t mean that current interests aren’t there:  a security threat can dispute trade.

Hence, the question becomes how we balance “these two imperative principles.”  And this is done by finding common interests to transform differences into commonalities.    Parks then gave examples of what has been done and what can be done.  Parks stressed that the Coast Guard Ninth District’s lawyers are delving through both countries regulations to harmonize regulations which both improve security and enhance trade.  A key example to works towards for the future:  a one-stop shop for security inspections in Montreal for U.S.-Canada merchant fleets.  There’s also a proposal to have a Canadian representative in the 9^th district to foster cross-border cooperation.  And the Coast Guard is pursuing a binational risk assessment approach so that Canada and the United States can focus on high-risk ships, therefore cutting down on shipping delays for low-risk vessels.   

Parks concluded that the BTB Initiative is “a call for action” from Prime Minster Harper and President Barack Obama to make the smart security regulations that both protect each nation and enhance trade.  And when it comes to the Great Lakes region, booming with trade and one of the world’s greatest bodies of fresh water, he made clear that he will continue to work towards a prosperous and secure U.S.-Canada relationship.