U.S.–Canada Security & Humanitarian Partnership (CSHP)

0. Cover & Document Information

Issuing Organization. Jedi Security Policy Group (JSPG)

Title. U.S.–Canada Security & Humanitarian Partnership (CSHP) — Expanded Government Policy Whitepaper

Date. October 2025

Purpose. Propose a sovereignty‑respecting, auditable bilateral framework combining border security, Arctic resilience, cyber defense, and humanitarian logistics for remote and Indigenous communities.

1. Executive Summary

The CSHP creates a civilian‑led complement to NORAD, Five Eyes, and the Cross‑Border Crime Forum, focusing on outcomes that citizens can feel: fewer cyber disruptions, faster disaster response, safer corridors, and better access to essential services in the North. The framework aligns security cooperation with humanitarian outcomes through a Joint Resilience & Humanitarian Fund (JRH), a Joint Oversight Board (JOB) with Indigenous participation, and parity audits published in English and French.

Sovereignty preserved. Each country retains domestic command. Cross‑border assistance occurs only via Territorial Entry Authorizations (TEAs) or existing cross‑designation regimes (e.g., Shiprider). No unilateral enforcement.

2. Background & Problem Statement

Economic integration across the Canada–U.S. border has outpaced the civilian security and humanitarian mechanisms needed to protect it. Supply‑chain trust invites exploitation by illicit networks and cyber actors. Climate change amplifies hazard exposure in northern communities where access, healthcare, and communications are fragile. Existing coordination excels in defense and policing, but civilian surge logistics, cyber response, and transparent co‑funding remain fragmented.

Observed Gaps

• Fragmented civilian coordination across provinces, states, and multiple federal agencies.
• Uneven cyber incident response and limited real‑time intel pipelines between CISA and CCCS.
• Remote logistics constraints for SAR, medevac, and essential goods during severe weather or fires.
• Transparency deficits in cross‑border funding and procurement data.
• Insufficient Indigenous integration in binational planning and oversight.

3. Strategic Objectives

Objective 1 — Rule‑of‑Law & Cross‑Border Policing

Expand Shiprider‑style joint patrols with clear command protocols; harmonize digital evidence handling; scale joint prosecutor and forensic training programs for cross‑border cases.

Objective 2 — Financial Integrity & AML/CTF

Create a FinCEN–FINTRAC Fusion Cell for typology alignment (fentanyl finance, ransomware, fraud), coordinated asset‑freezing, and repatriation for community programs.

Objective 3 — Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure

Enable real‑time threat exchange (CISA–CCCS), sector exercises (energy, healthcare, rail/ports, telecom), and shared guidance for cyber‑physical risk mitigation.

Objective 4 — Humanitarian & Northern Resilience

Operationalize the JRH Fund for air/sea logistics, modular housing, medical caches, and food security in remote and Indigenous communities.

Objective 5 — Transparency & Indigenous Partnership

Establish JOB with civil‑society and Indigenous representation, bilingual reporting, open‑data portals, and whistleblower protections.

4. Legal Basis & Existing Frameworks

Key Foundations

• NORAD (defense), Five Eyes (intel), USMCA (economic), and the Arctic Council (cooperation).
• MLAT and Extradition treaties; Smart Border/Shiprider arrangements.
• Privacy & data laws: Canada’s PIPEDA, provincial privacy laws, and the U.S. Privacy Act of 1974.

Sovereignty & Rights Safeguards

• TEAs for any cross‑border assistance personnel; no unilateral enforcement or permanent bases.
• Indigenous consultation consistent with UNDRIP; U.S. tribal sovereignty respected; Canadian duty to consult observed.

5. Proposed Bilateral Agreement

The CSHP treaty contains thirteen articles tailored to the Canada–U.S. context while aligning with existing institutions.

• Article I — Purpose & Principles: Integrate security, cyber defense, and resilience; measurable outcomes.
• Article II — Definitions: JRH Fund, JOB, TEA, CI, Incident, Protected Data.
• Article III — Scope: Policing advisory, AML/CTF, cyber intel/response, humanitarian logistics.
• Article IV — TEAs: Written authorization; scope, geography, duration, data rules.
• Article V — Command & Control: Domestic command retained; Joint Mission Directorate coordinates.
• Article VI — JRH Fund: Dual‑managed (Public Safety/TBS & USAID/FEMA); audits, OCDS procurement, Indigenous set‑asides.
• Article VII — Information & Cyber: Real‑time CISA–CCCS exchange; incident playbooks.
• Article VIII — Financial Cooperation: FINTRAC–FinCEN; asset recovery reinvested in JRH projects.
• Article IX — Oversight & Audit: JOB (5+5); GAO–OAG parity; quarterly bilingual reporting.
• Article X — Legal Jurisdiction: Domestic criminal jurisdiction preserved; dispute resolution path.
• Article XI — Duration: Five‑year term; 90‑day termination notice; suspension for rights violations.
• Article XII — Amendments/Entry into Force: Legislative/Parliamentary processes; exchange of notes.
• Article XIII — Transparency: Publish treaty text, budgets, and non‑classified annexes (EN/FR).

6. Humanitarian & Resilience Initiatives

6.1 JRH Fund

Year‑1: USD $1.1B for northern logistics, housing, medical caches, food security, and mental‑health. Audits: GAO/OAG; OCDS procurement; Indigenous set‑asides and local‑hire clauses.

6.2 Health & Medical Logistics

• Pre‑positioned caches; interoperable SAR/medevac; telemedicine with satellite backhaul.
• Cross‑border emergency licensure reciprocity for surge clinicians.

6.3 Critical‑Infrastructure Resilience

• Grid hardening & microgrids; cyber‑physical security for pipelines/rail/ports/telecom; redundant Arctic comms.

6.4 Indigenous Partnership

• Co‑designed projects with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and U.S. tribal nations; training pipelines; revenue‑sharing models.

6.5 Transparency & Engagement

Bilingual portal with project maps and spend dashboards; town halls; joint press briefings.

7. Implementation Plan (30/60/90 + Year 1)

First 30 Days

• Exchange notes; stand up JMD and JOB; publish TEA guidance; identify pilot corridors (Great Lakes, Pacific NW, Atlantic, Arctic).

Days 31–60

• Activate cyber exchange; launch JRH pilots (housing, caches); Shiprider training; align FINTRAC–FinCEN workflows.

Days 61–90

• JOB Q1 review; expand humanitarian nodes; publish procurement templates; draft Year‑1 plan for Parliament/Congress.

Year 1

• Scale JRH projects; national cyber/CI exercises; pilot cross‑border digital case systems; quarterly public reports.

8. Budget & Resource Allocations

Three‑year total: USD $6.4B (U.S. $3.8B; Canada $2.6B). Year‑1 total: $2.2B.

9. Oversight & Accountability Mechanisms

JOB Composition & Mandate

• 5 U.S. + 5 Canadian voting members; Indigenous and civil‑society observers; two‑thirds threshold for decisions.
• Quarterly bilingual reports; public archiving; rotating meetings (Ottawa, Washington, regional hubs).

Audits & Evaluations

Transparency & Whistleblower Protections

Open‑data portal for contracts ≥ $25k (30‑day disclosure); machine‑readable datasets; encrypted reporting channels; non‑retaliation clauses; 30‑day remedial plans; suspension for severe breaches.

10. Expected Outcomes & Metrics / Conclusion

KPIs (Year‑3 Targets)

Evaluation Schedule

• Quarterly JOB monitoring; annual GAO/OAG audits; Year‑2 mid‑term academic review; Year‑3 terminal evaluation.

Conclusion

The CSHP adds a transparent, humanitarian backbone to a trusted defense and intelligence relationship. Pairing cyber and border security with northern resilience and Indigenous‑led development allows Canada and the United States to protect people, harden infrastructure, and grow shared prosperity—while respecting rights and sovereignty.