Background

The US and Canada’s bilateral relationship is one of the closest and most extensive in the world. It is reflected in the high volume of bilateral trade – nearly $2 billion a day in goods and services – and in people-to-people contact – about 400,000 people cross between the two countries every day. The US and Canada share the world’s longest international border, which is 5525 miles with 120 land ports-of-entry. In fields ranging from the border and national security to global affairs to the opioid crisis to environmental protection to free trade, the two countries work closely together on multiple levels, from local/provincial to federal.

Bilateral Relationship

Canada and the US share a unique relationship forged by their shared geography, similar values, common interests, deep personal connections and powerful, multi-layered economic ties. A secure and efficient flow of goods and people across the border is vital to both countries’ economic competitiveness and prosperity. When Canada and the United States work together, they enhance their security and accelerate the legitimate flow of people, goods and services. Canada and the United States remain committed to close cooperation on issues facing the two countries and jointly address challenges around the world.

Canada has an embassy in Washington, D.C. and consulates general in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. The United States maintains an embassy in Ottawa and consulates general across Canada.

Border and International Security

The US and Canada share North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mutual defense commitments. Defense arrangements shared between the US and Canada are more extensive than with any other country. The US and Canadian military forces cooperate on continental defense within the framework of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the world’s only binational military command. The Permanent Joint Board on Defense provides policy-level consultation on bilateral defense matters.

The US and Canada work together within, at, and beyond their borders to enhance security and economic competitiveness and accelerate the flow of people, goods, and services between the two countries. They collaborate along four lines of effort: addressing threats early, facilitating lawful trade and travel, enhancing law enforcement collaborations, and promoting critical infrastructure and cybersecurity. They have agreements that allow them to exchange information on visa and immigration applicants and travelers who wish to cross their shared border. This maintains the integrity of their immigration systems and enhances security of both countries without causing delays at the border.

In order to achieve risk assessment and analysis, incident management, and coordinated messaging, extensive law enforcement collaboration is required. The Border Enforcement Security Taskforces (BESTs), the integrated border enforcement teams (IBETS), and the Shiprider Integrated Cross Border Maritime Law Enforcement program are successful joint law enforcement programs with Canada in which officers from both countries jointly patrol the two countries’ shared waterways. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conduct preclearance operations at eight airports in Canada and allow air travelers to complete immigration, customs, and agriculture procedures before boarding their flights to the US.

In 2015, The US government and the Canadian government shared an Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air transport Preclearance and it officially came into force in August 2019. This Agreement provides the legal framework and reciprocal authorities necessary for each country’s preclearance officers to carry out security, facilitation, and inspection processes in the other country, enabling expansion to new airport, marine, and rail locations consistent with the terms and conditions of the Agreement- this includes facility requirements and cost recovery provisions. It also enables co-location of officers at small and remote Ports of Entry along the shared land border and conversion of existing ferry and cruise ship immigration pre-inspection operations to full preclearance.

Global Affairs

Canada and the US cooperate in multilateral groups, including international efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering. The two countries belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO, WTO, G7, G20, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Organization of American States, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

The US and Canada coordinate through the High-Level Policy Review Group, which last met in February 2020. This group was launched in 2009 so that Canada and the US could coordinate actions in response to pressing global issues as close allies and work together on the global stage to bring peace, security, democracy, and the rule of law around the globe while rallying international support for shared goals. This year’s topics included China, NATO, Iran, the Middle East, North Korea, and Venezuela.

Canada released its Arctic and Northern Policy Framework in September 2019 that calls for increasing relations with Arctic countries and the United States in order to strengthen the international order, more clearly define Arctic boundaries, and clearly set regulations for management of Arctic resources. Not only does this framework address international issues, it also seeks to empower Indigenous communities in Canada.

COVID-19 Cooperation

Although the US and Canada enjoy close relations, a lot of this was questioned under the Trump administration, especially with the way Trump handled COVID-19. Trump’s erratic management of the COVID-19 crisis has been overwhelmingly rejected by Canadians, who feel good about themselves and their leaders.