Security and Borders in a Digital Age: Implications for Canadian Government and North American Governance

A central influence on the Canada-United States (U.S.) border today is post-9-11 security. A related influence is the growing prominence of the Internet and information and communications technologies (IT). This heightened digital interdependence, intertwined with global commerce and finance, also translates into the need for concerted political action-calling into question an exclusive notion of borders as boundaries of independence. This new nexus between security and digital technology may transform the meaning and governance of national borders. Alternatively, this nexus could also reinforce much that is traditional about bilateral politics and policies and thus, the preservation and management of national borders. A key argument of this article is that much depends on their usage by both governments and all sectors (including citizenries) and whether the pursuit of security reinforces national insularity and secrecy-or instead promotes an openness that can help facilitate cross-border dialogue and shared governance.