Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Long-Awaited Canada Border Bill Moves Ahead In U.S. Congress

The Canadian Press, 08 Dec, 2016 01:04 PM
    WASHINGTON — A bill to simplify crossing the Canadian-U.S. border moved ahead in the American Congress on Wednesday, with little time left to get it passed before lawmakers break to form a post-election legislature in the New Year.
     
    It's a long-awaited development.
     
    The Harper and Trudeau governments both signed so-called preclearance deals with the Obama administration, but the arrangement required implementing legislation and U.S. lawmakers have not made it a priority.
     
    The bill finally got some attention Wednesday evening. It sailed through the House of Representatives without objection. Lawmakers there urged the Senate to adopt it quickly, and make it law before breaking next week for the holidays.
     
    Lawmakers from different parties and different parts of the U.S. spoke in favour of the bill, before moving it forward.
     
    "(This) is great news for U.S.-Canadian relations," said New York Republican Elise Stefanik.
     
    "Canada is more than just a bordering nation. They are our neighbours, our friends and our largest trading partner. Plattsburgh, a city in my district, has even branded itself as Montreal's U.S. suburb."
     
     
    The plan stems from the oft-stated goal of policy-makers to achieve two goals: Simplify movement to avoid the border snarls that have frustrated commerce and travellers since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while also maintaining security.
     
    It involves a pilot project to test a new way of crossing the border by getting people screened before the actual international boundary — better known as pre-clearance. Many Canadians are already familiar with the system because it exists at major airports, where they clear U.S. customs at home and avoid potentially longer lines after they land.
     
    Now it could be extended to trains, buses and potentially someday even cars on highways. The first pilot projects will occur at train stations in Vancouver and Montreal. They would only begin once implementation bills become law in both countries.
     
    The U.S. legislation makes clear American customs agents accused of committing crimes on the job would be prosecuted in U.S. courts. A Texas Democrat, Sheila Jackson Lee, said the bill offered multiple benefits — safer screening of visitors before they reach the U.S., cheaper processing costs and faster travel.
     
    "That's a very, very important aspect of this legislation," she said of quicker travel.
     
    The Canadian version has already been introduced and is expected to pass, given that both the current and previous majority governing parties, the Conservatives and Liberals, both supported the plan. 
     
    More recently, the Canadian government has lobbied to have pre-clearance adopted by the current Congress.
     
    A Canadian-U.S. business group saluted Wednesday's development.
     
     
    "We are hopeful that this common-sense, bipartisan, bicameral effort will bear fruit before the end of this congressional session," said Maryscott Greenwood of the Canadian American Business Council. 
     
    "It's a long time coming, but well worth the effort in terms of efficiency along the most productive border crossing in the world."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Toronto Tech Tycoon's N.B. Mansion Remains Unsold: 'There's A Buyer Out There'

    Toronto Tech Tycoon's N.B. Mansion Remains Unsold: 'There's A Buyer Out There'
    Lorne Abony's mammoth Utopia, N.B., mansion has been on the market for nearly two years, and comes with a hefty price tag: $9.65 million.

    Toronto Tech Tycoon's N.B. Mansion Remains Unsold: 'There's A Buyer Out There'

    Nova Scotia Man Filmed People In Medical Clinic's Washroom, Police Say

    Nova Scotia Man Filmed People In Medical Clinic's Washroom, Police Say
    New Glasgow Regional Police say they arrested a 41-year-old man Tuesday after receiving a complaint about voyeurism at the Westside Medical Centre.

    Nova Scotia Man Filmed People In Medical Clinic's Washroom, Police Say

    Saskatchewan MLA Dies In Hospital Just Two Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis

    Saskatchewan MLA Dies In Hospital Just Two Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis
    A government statement says the member for Saskatoon Meewasin died Tuesday night at the city's Royal University Hospital with family members by his side.

    Saskatchewan MLA Dies In Hospital Just Two Weeks After Cancer Diagnosis

    India Loses $58 Billion Annually Due To Road Accidents: UN Study

    India Loses $58 Billion Annually Due To Road Accidents: UN Study
    India's GDP takes a 3 per cent hit every year due to road accidents, equivalent to over USD 58 billion in value terms, a United Nations (UN) study has found out.      

    India Loses $58 Billion Annually Due To Road Accidents: UN Study

    Carfentanil, Much Deadlier Than Fentanyl, Found In Downtown Eastside Drug Bust

    Carfentanil, Much Deadlier Than Fentanyl, Found In Downtown Eastside Drug Bust
    Last month, a nine-month-old boy in Manitoba was rushed to hospital after being exposed to carfentanil, which is so powerful that just a few grains can be fatal for adults.

    Carfentanil, Much Deadlier Than Fentanyl, Found In Downtown Eastside Drug Bust

    Foreign Home Purchases In Metro Vancouver Are Back To Provincial Average

    Foreign Home Purchases In Metro Vancouver Are Back To Provincial Average
      Finance Minister Mike de Jong says the government is scaling back the amount of money it expects to collect from the tax in this budget year based on the new figures.

    Foreign Home Purchases In Metro Vancouver Are Back To Provincial Average