Cormac MacSweeney Dec 07, 2011
After months of waiting, the new Canada-United States border deal has been unveiled. It is an unprecedented agreement that will change how you travel to the U.S. and the way companies conduct cross-border business. The a massive deal is broken into two parts and will take years to fully implement. Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it is a merger between security concerns and a boost for trade and travel. "These agreements create a new and modern bored for this century. Together they represent the most significant steps forward between Canada-U.S. cooperation since the North American Free Trade Agreement," said Harper. On security, border agencies will begin sharing much more information to try and prevent future problems and stop high risk people from entering our countries. U.S. president Barack Obama says it is about being smarter. "Along with better screening and sharing more information, this will help us be even smarter about our joint security, concentrating our resources where they are needed most. Identifying real threats to our security before they reach our shores," said Obama. For travel, new upgrades to infrastructure and technology at border crossings will help passengers make it through customs a lot quicker. The deal will also benefit the economy. Many regulations and standards will be harmonized to increase trade, lower costs for companies and maybe lower the prices of products on the our shelves.