North American integration
Encyclopedia
North American integration refers to the process of economic and political integration in North America particularly integration of Canada
, Mexico
, and the United States
.
, two of his policy advisers, Martin Anderson
and John Sears, proposed to him an idea they called the "North American Accord" that would create a common market between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Reagan saw this proposal as a solution to illegal immigration and other problems between the U.S. and its neighbors. Despite being greeted with skepticism and resistance from leaders in Canada and Mexico, Reagan endorsed the idea when he formally announced his candidacy in November 1979.
Reagan would soon find a sympathetic voice in Canada after a report by a Royal Commission suggested pursuing a free trade agreement with the United States. Brian Mulroney responded by initiating discussions with the United States and these negotiations culminated with the signing of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) in 1988. This agreement served as a template for negotiations with Mexico that were eventually expanded to include Canada in what became the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA).
's ideas on deepening integration of NAFTA and encouraged Fox to adopt these policies as part of his campaign. Before and after the election Fox made appearances on several U.S. news programs advocating greater integration including a plan to open up the U.S.-Mexico border within ten years. Around this time a number of proposals were also put forward for an expansion of the NAFTA agreement, generically called "NAFTA-Plus." After taking office, Vicente Fox proposed one such plan to President George W. Bush
of the United States and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
that would move towards a supranational union in the form of the European Union. Fox's proposal was rejected by President Bush.
In a private round-table discussion on March 15, 2006 U.S. on the Security and Prosperity Partnership Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez
advocated creating a North American Competitiveness Council
composed of business leaders from all three NAFTA countries in order to ensure sustainable regional integration and address issue that might impede such integration. Just over two weeks later the council was formed as an SPP working group. It has submitted several reports suggesting new measures on deepening integration of the NAFTA region including a Regulatory Cooperation Framework and a trilateral tax treaty to "provide clear rules governing tax matters affecting trade and investment between the three countries".
Several advocates of integration saw the SPP as being insufficient. One criticism was that the governments lacked a "vision of what North America might become" and as such did not provide the proper context that would allow the initiative to deal with barriers to deeper integration. Another problem seen with the dialogue was that it operated from a federal perspective at the exclusion of state, provincial, and local government involvement. The separation between the security aspect of the initiative and the economic aspect was also seen as a failing of the initiative.
approach towards integration with the United States advancing in its integration with Canada faster than with Mexico.
In this scenario the border between the U.S. and Canada would be opened up to goods, services, and people. Part of this could include the formation of a security perimeter around the two countries with reduced focus on security along the national borders. The perimeter approach has been discussed publicly by officials of the U.S. and Canadian governments. It has been suggested this approach could raise concerns that such an agreement would set a precedent for a later agreement of the same kind with Mexico.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The North American Accord
While Ronald Reagan was organizing his run for the 1980 U.S. presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
, two of his policy advisers, Martin Anderson
Martin Anderson (economist)
Martin Anderson is an economist, policy analyst, author and was one of President Ronald Reagan's leading advisors.-Biography:Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, August 5, 1936 He received his A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1957, his M.S...
and John Sears, proposed to him an idea they called the "North American Accord" that would create a common market between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Reagan saw this proposal as a solution to illegal immigration and other problems between the U.S. and its neighbors. Despite being greeted with skepticism and resistance from leaders in Canada and Mexico, Reagan endorsed the idea when he formally announced his candidacy in November 1979.
Reagan would soon find a sympathetic voice in Canada after a report by a Royal Commission suggested pursuing a free trade agreement with the United States. Brian Mulroney responded by initiating discussions with the United States and these negotiations culminated with the signing of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) in 1988. This agreement served as a template for negotiations with Mexico that were eventually expanded to include Canada in what became the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA).
Vicente Fox and NAFTA-Plus
Jorge Castañeda, serving as a policy advisor to then Mexican Presidential candidate Vicente Fox, was influenced by Robert PastorRobert Pastor
Robert Alan Pastor is a former US national security advisor and writer on foreign affairs.-Education:...
's ideas on deepening integration of NAFTA and encouraged Fox to adopt these policies as part of his campaign. Before and after the election Fox made appearances on several U.S. news programs advocating greater integration including a plan to open up the U.S.-Mexico border within ten years. Around this time a number of proposals were also put forward for an expansion of the NAFTA agreement, generically called "NAFTA-Plus." After taking office, Vicente Fox proposed one such plan to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
of the United States and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
that would move towards a supranational union in the form of the European Union. Fox's proposal was rejected by President Bush.
The Security and Prosperity Partnership
The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) was formed at a meeting of North American leaders on March 23, 2005. It was described by the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States as a dialogue to provide greater cooperation on security and economic issues. A number of academics and government officials at the time viewed the SPP as moving North America towards greater integration.In a private round-table discussion on March 15, 2006 U.S. on the Security and Prosperity Partnership Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez
Carlos Gutierrez
Carlos Miguel Gutierrez is an American former CEO and former U.S. Cabinet Member who is currently a Vice Chairman of Citigroup's Institutional Clients Group. He has previously served as the 35th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2005 to 2009...
advocated creating a North American Competitiveness Council
North American Competitiveness Council
The North American Competitiveness Council is an official tri-national working group of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America . It was created at the second summit of the SPP in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in March 2006...
composed of business leaders from all three NAFTA countries in order to ensure sustainable regional integration and address issue that might impede such integration. Just over two weeks later the council was formed as an SPP working group. It has submitted several reports suggesting new measures on deepening integration of the NAFTA region including a Regulatory Cooperation Framework and a trilateral tax treaty to "provide clear rules governing tax matters affecting trade and investment between the three countries".
Several advocates of integration saw the SPP as being insufficient. One criticism was that the governments lacked a "vision of what North America might become" and as such did not provide the proper context that would allow the initiative to deal with barriers to deeper integration. Another problem seen with the dialogue was that it operated from a federal perspective at the exclusion of state, provincial, and local government involvement. The separation between the security aspect of the initiative and the economic aspect was also seen as a failing of the initiative.
Two-speed integration
Several works have discussed taking a two-speed approach to North American integration, with Canada and the United States pursuing deeper integration, with Mexico to be included at a later date. This has been likened to the European Union's multi-speedMulti-speed Europe
Multi-speed Europe or two-speed Europe is the idea that different parts of the European Union should integrate at different levels and pace depending on the political situation in each individual country...
approach towards integration with the United States advancing in its integration with Canada faster than with Mexico.
In this scenario the border between the U.S. and Canada would be opened up to goods, services, and people. Part of this could include the formation of a security perimeter around the two countries with reduced focus on security along the national borders. The perimeter approach has been discussed publicly by officials of the U.S. and Canadian governments. It has been suggested this approach could raise concerns that such an agreement would set a precedent for a later agreement of the same kind with Mexico.
Organizations involved in North American integration
The following is a list of organizations that are by varying degrees associated with the integration efforts of North America. Some are policy think tanks while others are involved in specific facets of integration. Most, but not all, are trilaterally oriented (i.e., representing Canada, Mexico and the United States); a few tend to be bilateral organizations such as for Canada and the U.S.| Organization | | Description | | Home Country | Countries of Organization’s Participants | | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy (ACIEP) | U.S. | U.S. | ACIEP membership | |
| Annexation.ca | A movement dedicated to the exploration of the potentialities for a democratic annexation of Canada to the USA. | Canada | Canada & U.S. | Annexation.ca |
| Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) Border Environment Cooperation Commission The Border Environment Cooperation Commission headquartered in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, is a binational organization created in 1994 by the Governments of the United States and Mexico, under a side-agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement... |
Aims to promote binational health and environmental projects along the U.S.-Mexican border and partners with the North American Development Bank (NADB). | Mexico & U.S. | Mexico & U.S. | BECC |
| Canadian Council of Chief Executives Canadian Council of Chief Executives The Canadian Council of Chief Executives is an organization in Canada of chief executive officers of roughly 150 major Canadian corporations. The organization was founded in 1976 as the Business Council on National Issues, but renamed itself in 2001. The council actively comments on public... |
Canada | CCCE | ||
| Center for North American Studies (CNAS) at American University American University American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893... |
Educates and promotes policy debates between governments about the North American Region. | U.S. | U.S. | CNAS |
| Digital Government Society of North America Digital Government Society of North America The Digital Government Society of North America or DGSNA is an international, nonprofit, professional society devoted to advancing democratic digital government via research, policy, and best practice, in the countries of Canada, the United States, and Mexico.-History and purpose:The organization... |
U.S. | Canada, Mexico, United States (potentially) | DGSNA ∙ DGRC | |
| North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) North American Aerospace Defense Command North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado... |
Handles aerospace warning and control for North America and awareness of activities in U.S. and Canadian maritime areas and as well as inland waterways. | U.S. | Canada & U.S. | NORAD |
| North American Center for Transborder Studies (NACTS) at Arizona State University Arizona State University Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona... |
A center for scholars regarding the trilateral issues in North America. | U.S. | NACTS | |
| North America Development Bank (NADB) North American Development Bank The North American Development Bank is a binational financial institution capitalized and governed equally by the United States of America and Mexico for the purpose of financing environmental projects certified by the Border Environment Cooperation Commission .The two institutions work together... |
Created under the guidance of NAFTA to focus on environmental issues along the U.S.-Mexican border and partners with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC). | Mexico & U.S. | NADB | |
| North American Forum North American Forum The North American Forum is an annual meeting of U.S., Canadian and Mexican government and business representatives to discuss issues related to continental economic and social integration... |
North American Forum | |||
| North American Forum on Integration North American Forum on Integration The North American Forum on Integration , also known as Le Forum sur l'Intégration Nord-Américaine or Foro sobre la Integración NorteAmericana , is a North American think tank based in Montreal, Quebec that advocates closer ties between Canada, Mexico, and the United States, including a common... |
Canada | Canada, Mexico & U.S. | NAFI | |
| The North American Institute (NAMI) | NAMI | |||
| North American Integration and Development (NAID Center) | NAID | |||
| United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) United States Northern Command United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities... (a.k.a. NORAD-U.S. Northern Command Command Center) |
A "central collection and coordination facility for a worldwide system of sensors designed to provide the commander and the leadership of Canada and the U.S. with an accurate picture of any aerospace threat" | U.S. | U.S. | USNORTHCOM |
| Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America (SPP) Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America was a region-level dialogue with the stated purpose of providing greater cooperation on security and economic issues. The Partnership was founded in Waco, Texas on March 23, 2005 by Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, Vicente Fox,... |
Leads an agenda "to enhance the competitive position of North American industries in the global marketplace", prevent & respond to threats in North America, and "ensure the streamlined movement of legitimate travelers and cargo across our shared borders" | Canada, Mexico & U.S. | SPP in Canada ∙ SPP in Mexico ∙ SPP in the U.S. | |
| Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) Transatlantic Economic Council The Transatlantic Economic Council, or commonly called TEC, is a body set up between the United States and European Union to direct economic co-operation between the two economies.-Establishment and chairmanship:... |
TEC ∙ EU-USA TEC | |||
| United North America | A non-profit organization that advocates the admittance of Canadian provinces into the United States as new states of the Union. | Canada | Canada | United North America |
See also
- Canada-United States relationsCanada-United States relationsRelations between Canada and the United States have spanned more than two centuries. This includes a shared British colonial heritage, warfare during the 1770s and 1812, and the eventual development of one of the most successful international relationships in the modern world...
- United States-Mexico relations
- Canada-Mexico relationsCanada-Mexico relationsCanada–Mexico relations are relations between Canada and the United Mexican States. Despite the fact that historic ties between the two nations have been coldly dormant, relations between Canada and Mexico have positively changed in recent years; seeing as both countries brokered the NAFTA...
- Independent Task Force on North AmericaIndependent Task Force on North AmericaThe Independent Task Force on the Future of North America advocates a greater economic and social integration between Canada, Mexico, and the United States as a region...
- North American Competitiveness CouncilNorth American Competitiveness CouncilThe North American Competitiveness Council is an official tri-national working group of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America . It was created at the second summit of the SPP in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in March 2006...
- North American Currency Union (Amero)
- North American Forum on IntegrationNorth American Forum on IntegrationThe North American Forum on Integration , also known as Le Forum sur l'Intégration Nord-Américaine or Foro sobre la Integración NorteAmericana , is a North American think tank based in Montreal, Quebec that advocates closer ties between Canada, Mexico, and the United States, including a common...
- Security and Prosperity Partnership of North AmericaSecurity and Prosperity Partnership of North AmericaThe Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America was a region-level dialogue with the stated purpose of providing greater cooperation on security and economic issues. The Partnership was founded in Waco, Texas on March 23, 2005 by Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada, Vicente Fox,...