Canada and the United States are two uniquely different, yet uniquely similar countries. The two countries share the world’s longest international border at 5,252 miles, trade at a high-rate, and approximately 400,000 people cross between the two countries each day (“International Perspective”). According to the United States government website, the U.S.’s and Canada’s relations are, “one of the closest and most extensive” (“U.S. Relations With Canada-United States Department of State”). Such an assertion begs the question, where have the two countries worked together, where do the countries struggle to work together, and what binds the two countries together. Throughout this civic issue blog, these questions will be explored.
One of the most pressing issues today is the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada and the United States have joined forces to help stop the spread of the vaccine while still maintaining the economies of both nations. When the pandemic struck the U.S.-Canada border closed to reduce the spread and transmission of the virus across country lines. This deeply impacted border regions/states, the economies of both countries, and tourism. In order to counter these negative impacts both countries leaders worked together to respond, tasking their leading pharmaceutical companies to invest and develop a vaccine, to ensure personal protective equipment was widely available, and to help companies convert production to productive protective gear.
Another crisis in which the two countries have jointly worked together on is the opioid crisis. In 2019 alone, over 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid overdoses (National Institute on Drug Abuse). The high casualty rate called for swift and detailed action. Therefore, in 2020, the United States and Canada launched an action plan in January, addressing the trafficking of opioids as well as the issues associated with opioid use. The U.S. and Canada also work together to combat this issue through the G7 and North American Drug Dialogue.
Border and international security is always a major concern for nations who share a border and the U.S. and Canada is no different. According to the United States government, the two countries mutually work together militaristically to create a co-operated defense network. In addition, the two countries created the world’s only co-operated military command system called NORAD, or North American Aerospace Defense Command. In regard to domestic security, the two countries created a traveler system called NEXUS that promotes legal travel between the two nations. With air travel the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operates on a preclearance system enabling air travelers going into Canada to complete screening procedures prior to landing at eight of Canada’s numerous airports. This policy is assisted by the Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada. This policy outlines how both countries can work to establish preclearance and the procedures needed for security and for inspection to pass.
The environment and natural reserves of resources is of great concern to both nations as well. The United States and Canada have a great many partnerships regarding the environment and natural resources. One such is the Great lakes Water Quality Agreement which helps to maintain and improve water quality and overall ecosystem health (“Great lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA)”). In conjunction with this example is the Columbia River Treaty which began modernization in 2018. The Columbia River is a humongous drainage basin that spans parts of multiple states in the U.S. and sections of British Columbia. The river provides both electricity from hydropower, irrigation, and also is used for recreation (“Columbia River Treaty-United States Department of State”). Therefore, the United States and Canada coming together to establish joint policy on how the river is regulated demonstrates strong international relations. Lastly, the two countries established the Artic Council to deal with international waterways and fisheries.
The policies and commissions outlined above represent major areas where the United States and Canada join forces to work together and combat common issues and reach common goals. For the most part, these superpowers have been extremely successful in creating a positive and lasting impact on the environments and citizens. Even more powerful than this however is how these two countries have demonstrated how international cooperation can be mutually beneficial. They have set a precedent for how other nations should act and conduct policy with one another. This is not to say that the U.S. and Canada do not struggle either.
During the Trump administration, relations with Canada were tested immensely. The President went as far as calling the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, “weak” and “dishonest.” Such assertions came after the countries struggled to resolve a trade dispute. Looking back at history is essential to understand some of the areas the countries struggled to create favorable relations. The War of 1812 is a great starting place as its relatively early in U.S. history. Troops from Canada, who were under British rule, burned down the White House and clashed at the current U.S-Canada border. Part of this border clash came out of a lack of general territory markings which were difficult to establish without modern technology. Fast forward to World War I where Canada under the War hero, Buster Brown, established a war plan to invade the U.S. The U.S also created an invasion policy of Canada fearing an invasion if relations with other nations disintegrated. In 1935, the United states spent an additional $57 million to update the plan representing that this invasion policy was not just a thought but a well thought out plan (Lippert). More recently, the two countries have quarreled over oil supplies as the U.S. began to shift to buy more oil from Canadian oil sands routing business away from U.S. suppliers (“Wall Street Favor Shifting from U.S. Shale to Canadian Oil Sand”). This provided Donald Trump the means by which to create trade barriers between the two countries and disrupt positive relations.
Overall, the two countries have had their ups and downs throughout history. Yet, the positives that have come out of these relations is innumerable and continue to have lasting impacts. Therefore, it is essential as the United States and Canada progress to see how the two develop as the countries rapidly change as they navigate the technological era.
Works Cited:
“Columbia River Treaty – United States Department of State.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 1 Dec. 2020, www.state.gov/columbia-river-treaty/.
“Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA).” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 12 Jan. 2021, www.epa.gov/glwqa.
“International Perspective.” Statistics Canada: Canada’s National Statistical Agency / Statistique Canada : Organisme Statistique National Du Canada, 17 Jan. 2018, www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-402-x/2011000/chap/geo/geo01-eng.htm.
Lippert, Kevin, et al. “That Time the U.S. Almost Went to War With Canada.” POLITICO Magazine, 21 June 2018, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/21/that-time-the-us-almost-went-to-war-with-canada-218881/.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Opioid Overdose Crisis.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 11 Mar. 2021, www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis.
“U.S. Relations With Canada – United States Department of State.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 14 Jan. 2021, www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-canada/.
“Wall Street Favor Shifting from U.S. Shale to Canadian Oil Sands.” World Oil – Upstream News, www.worldoil.com/news/2020/12/14/wall-street-favor-shifting-from-us-shale-to-canadian-oil-sands.