U.S. Official Hails Strength, Durability Of Canada Partnership

On the subject of border crossings, Whitaker said U.S. officials are working to address Canadian concerns about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a new U.S. policy that will require every person entering the United States to have a passport or other secure form of travel documentations. Traditionally, U.S. and Canadian citizens have not needed passports or similar documents to travel across their nations' common border.

WHTI is due to take effect at the beginning of 2007 for air and sea travelers, and a year later at land borders. Although "Canadians are concerned that this requirement ... will damage trade, tourism, and contacts between people on both sides of our border," U.S. officials have indicated that they plan "to institute the WHTI in a manner that both bolsters security and improves the flow of goods and persons," said Whitaker. "We are holding frequent and extensive discussions with Canada on how best to implement the initiative."

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