A Different Border View (or, It Ain’t Just Me)

I found a great article by Michael Balboni from the Times Union website (paper published in Albany, NY). I’ve blogged a bit on the concern we Canadians should have if the US does secure the border with the same methods as the US/Mexico border. Michael’s piece gives an American perspective, and its one that supports the view many Canadians have and sheds light on how connected US/Canada border communities really are.

I don’t want to just re-post his article here, but I do want to point out a few parts.

There simply never has been, and never will be, a major influx of illegal immigrants across the northern border. This is because of climate, geography and relative prosperity in Canada; its citizens are not desperate for jobs in the United States.

…

When it comes to border security, one size does not fit all. What might (or might not) work at the Mexican border is not what will work at the Canadian border. We must move away from the "defend and protect" strategy and, instead, adopt one that enables and secures our cross border commerce.

He’s bang on with these comments. Canadians are not trying to escape Canada. In fact the vast majority of those that cross the border every year are doing so for tourist and vacation reasons; dollars that could be in jeopardy if the border is seen as more of a hassle to move through. And for commerce, Canada is already looking to further trade partnerships with China and Europe; we’ve realized that we’re not as tied to our continent as we once thought.