WASHINGTON, (Feb. 15, 2005) — Trade between Canada and the U.S. better get more efficient in the face of stiff Chinese and Indian competition, the CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance told NAFTA stakeholders recently.

Speaking at the Border Trade Alliance Annual Conference, CTA chief David Bradley said the next few months will be critical in determining what the land borders between Canada and the U.S. will look like for years to come. “The requirement to participate in the global supply chain is more apparent than ever. We must ensure that new U.S. measures aimed at enhancing border security at our land borders don’t become a barrier to existing, integrated manufacturing processes, but allow for the efficient movement of goods between the world’s two largest trading partners,” he said.

Bradley said that there’s no doubt a loss of productivity and efficiency in the movement of goods from Canada to the U.S. is occurring. “A host of new security measures have already been introduced, and several more are close to being implemented,” said Bradley. “How they are implemented and enforced will be key to how effective they are in meeting the combined goals of improved security and trade efficiency.”

He said that the Free & Secure Trade (FAST) program, which is supposed to facilitate the movement of low risk people and goods, “needs value-added incentives and should be used as the platform for other programs also requiring driver security background checks.”

The process and the sheer volume of such regulatory measures introduced at the same time has been the trucking industry’s biggest and most expensive burden, Bradley said. “(The rules) are causing unintended consequences and creating challenges for industry and government. We need to continue to work together to find practical solutions.”