Smarter Cooperation in Canada-US Relations?

Cold CASE: a manifesto for Canadian critical security studies

“…In the field of citizenship studies, Isin and Turner's Handbook of Citizenship Studies (2002) and Isin's own Being Political (2002) set the stage for critical work, focusing on issues of performativity and 'acts of citizenship' in addition to legal frameworks and policies (Isin and Neilsen 2008). The closing of the US-Canadian border on 9/11 immediately after the attacks, the subsequent economic cost, and the creation of 'smart' border policies led to a great deal of academic and policy interest (Andreas and Biersteker 2003;Kitchen 2004). A critical cluster has arisen from the work of Walters, Muller and Salter, who have each written on questions of mobility, borders, and biometrics (Walters 2002(Walters , 2006Salter 2004Salter , 2007bMuller 2010).…”

“…Though none of the terrorists involved in 9/11 had crossed into the United States from Canada, this 'fact' was repeated several times in public discourse, and Canada's 'lax' immigration and refugee determination processes were cited by the Congressional Research Services as having a negative impact on American security (Whitaker 2004;Bell 2004). Canada thus promoted the Smart Border Action Plan and Smart Border Accord, to demonstrate that security and trade could both be facilitated (Kitchen 2004). Though this goal of closer integration had been established prior to 9/11, it was the political, social, and economic capital freed by the new security environment that allowed for Canada to push forward its risk management approach.…”

SeMS and sensibility: Security management systems and the management of risk in the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

“…Though Canada had long advocated a new border agreement which placed equal emphasis on mobility and security, the United States was reluctant to open up negotiations after the success of the North American Free Trade Agreement. After 9/11 and the suspicions (however false) that terrorists entered through the Canadian border, American officials became more interested in the ''new'' Canadian proposal (Kitchen, 2004). The Auditor-General of Canada (2004) made a similar observation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in its prioritization of new public security funding from the 2001 Anti-Terrorism Initiative, which was allocated to desired projects that had not received budgetary approval in the past.…”

Suspenders and a belt: Perimeter and border security in Canada‐us relations

“…When negotiating new security arrangements with the United States, Canadian leaders are careful to balance economic interests with a shielding of Canada's sovereignty and values. (Kitchen 2004) If any Canadian government did otherwise, it would incur the electoral wrath of an increasingly nationalist public. As well, after four years of dealing with the United States on homeland and continental security issues, the Liberal government understood that proponents of a North American security perimeter tend to overlook a key facet of Washington's defence against terrorism: no matter what accords, agreements, or treaties the American government subscribes to, the United States will never relinquish the right to seal its borders.…”