Dave brings to you 38 years of valuable experience in transportation, management, business and compliance. Dave has driven in every condition across North America and overseas as military, police, company driver to owner operator to now Publisher Editor of Canadian Trucking Magazine.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you my readers and all your family and friends! I am proud to say this is my 4th Anniversary December Edition of Canadian Trucking Magazine! What an interesting journey it has been from on the road delivery to Truck Shows to our first CTM Show & Shine. I am looking forward to 2012 and what it is going to bring to the transportation industry. Tonnage is up and you can see every company now hiring drivers which means freight is moving that is good news to everyone. I have 2 major transport companies I endorse and support in this edition.
You notice the big bar acrosss the bottom of the page with thesource.ca. I support the Source because the Source supports Transport. This year at Truck Shows and Show and Shines and Convoys, thesource.ca donated thousands of dollars in prizes for you to win. I think at this holiday season or when you need something, log in and visit and buy from the source. Support those who support us! The Source has already confirmed thier continued commitment at the events for 2012, so drop by the CTM booth to visit and entry in to win a prize you will treasure.
The past years I have to tell you how good it is to meet my readers, get your feedback and so many offers to proof read my magazine. That has certainly improved my use of spellcheck and of course reading twice and printing once. Also I like the feedback on the stories, even if it is negative. Our service people have written blank cheques to us up to and including thier lives so we can have freedom of speech and say what is on our mind. I certainly always say what I mean and mean what I say. Just to touch on our service being Military, Police, Rescue or Fire, those who run towards danger as we run from it. Those that while we enjoy a Christmas they stand ready for us. If you see them in the coffee shop, stop and thank them and pick up the bill if you can. The life they are protecting and may save one day is yours.
As I talk about feedback, I had some interesting comments about my article on Elogs last month. Some I would not dare to print. Elogs is going to be a conversation we will all have so best to educate now. Some of us will be on the road this season far from home, friends and family. But think of this, we have a big family, the transport family. When I think of Val the Truckers Pal at the Husky in Regina and how she always makes us feel welcome, just like the 100s of other friends that serve us on the road with a warm smile and hot coffee. We are really never alone. Hey and don’t forget they have families too and tip heavy at this time of year. I have spent many a time on the road and in fact use to ask for deep south, Texas, so I was in shorts for New Years day. All the best my extended family, and I will see you all out there. Dont’ be a stranger! Happy Trails Dave,,,
By: Dawn Truell, President, Cross Border Services Canada Borders Tightened Up
Beyond the Border: shared vision for border security and economic growth by Prime Minister of Canada and President of U.S.A. Canada surrendering powers such as harmonized regulations over to the U.S.A.? Is that really what’s going on here? Let’s get the “facts” straight... First question on everyone’s mind is what exactly is this Beyond the Borders agreement and how does this affect us? When the programs such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, PIP Partners In Protection, FAST Free and Secure Trade, C-TPAT Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, API Advance Passenger Information, IBET Integrated Border Enforcement Teams, ACE Automated Commercial Environment, eManifest, ACI Ad-
vance Commercial Information, NEXUS, Shiprider Program, AEO Automated Economic Operators, came about, did anyone truly question why? Where they came from? What the ideas behind them were? All of these programs are specifically aimed at increasing border security, safety and resilience between Canada and the U.S.A. in our increasingly integrated and globalized world. The Beyond the Borders program has been in the works for 10 years now, following the tragedy of our decade, 911, first coming out as Smart Borders. While addressing security threats at the earliest points possible through these programs the Beyond the Borders agreement is also taking into account that this all has to be done while respecting the privacy, civil liberties and human rights all of citizens in both Canada and the U.S.A. While the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, and the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, remain friends, with chil-
dren the same ages, share similar political beliefs, and both think highly of each other’s leadership qualities, the speculations that this agreement has come to fruition because of their friendship is misleading, Beyond the Borders is about securing our borders and allowing easier access for our trusted Canadian companies when crossing the borders with our goods destined to the U.S.A. The Beyond the Borders agreement was actually written and presented on February 4, 2011, the release into the media and official announcement to the world took place on December 7, 2011. Realistically speaking, this agreement is a formality given the fact that for the past 10 years all of the above mentioned programs have been in effect for the purpose of securing our borders. Beyond the Borders is a mutual recognition between Canada and the U.S.A. to secure our borders while accelerating legitimate flow of goods, people and services between our two countries; being done in a partnership that supports economic competitiveness, prosperity and the promise of job creation. The risk management approach has already been in effect for 10 years, originally starting out with the C-TPAT program devised in November 2001 by the U.S.A. following the tremendous tragedy and loss of 911. Canada followed suit with our PIP Partners in Protection.
Both of these programs are based on heightened security and risk management for the protection of our borders, businesses and most importantly our citizens. These programs, including the aforementioned and the Beyond the Borders address travel in all sectors, land, air, sea and even now to include through the Beyond the Borders, space and cyberspace. Originally the CTPAT and PIP programs were kept confidential within the company itself and the PIP or C-TPAT, now there is a mutual agreement that is to be signed by company officials for the sharing of the information between these two programs to make things easier and more expeditious for all involved. To ease cross border travel no matter the mode of transportation, integrated Canada-United States entry-exit system, including the exchange of relevant entry information so that documented entry into one country serves to verify exit from the other country. Increased border personnel is also proposed in this agreement to further support the volume of commercial and passenger traffic thus promoting economic growth potential. For commercial traffic, Customs processing will be streamlined aimed at reducing the cost of conducting legitimate business across the border. An integrated cargo security strategy ensuring compatibility screening methods for goods and cargo before they depart for-
eign ports bound for Canada or the United States is also being worked on in order to accelerate subsequent crossings at land ports of entry between our two countries. The cost of the implementation of the Beyond the Borders program is about $200million annually says Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. When we read about the pilot projects that are promised here such as the pre-clearance of truckloads as they leave the factories of trusted manufacturers in Canada for U.S. destinations, how many of you are already part of the C-TPAT, PIP and FAST programs? If you are then you are already aware of the fact that this is one of the key purposes of these programs. These programs are an intense view of each companies’ security programs, policies and procedures, you must meet their minimum requirements in order to comply and be certified, thus giving pre-clearance authorization prior to hitting the borders, so when your shipment arrives at the borders headed southbound into the U.S.A. you should be recognized and be allowed to proceed through without any hassles or secondary screening. Now having said that I can hear some of you readers out there right now saying “hey but that’s not the case...” I know and I completely understand what you are saying, this is not always the case. This new program, Beyond the Borders, the
formalization really of the other numerous programs that are already in place is supposed to further promote the expeditious movements of all cross border shipments for all trusted travellers. Both governments recognize that there are numerous issues surrounding the cross border movements within the commercial environment hence these “talks”. Today we are in a very global economy, the key motivation for this border deal was to ensure the Canadian and U.S. economies keep up with others worldwide such as Asia. When we are striving to keep our Economy going forward, for example in the North American auto industry, having parts shipped back and forth across the borders that have to be continuously inspected over and over again, increasing border wait times, shipping delays, the competitive markets just do not dictate this type of daily interruptions; the shipper will simply choose another mode of transportation forcing loss of business which as we all know in today’s economy we just simply cannot afford. One might say that in Canada we are a safe country, nothing ever happens here, we are not the U.S.A., we need to focus more on our growth of our own economy; “Rather than using Canada’s leverage as the United States’ most important foreign source of economic strength and military security,
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Ottawa has spent the past decade internalizing Washington’s self-wounding anti-terrorist obsession.” Stephen Clarkson, Globe & Mail Countless Canadian companies have stopped exporting to the United States, concentrating on riskier overseas markets or simply staying grounded within Canada’s own borders. This is very sad because we really need to be focusing on how we can grow Canada’s economy, our Prime Minister is hoping that with this Beyond the Border agreement that trade between Canada and the U.S.A. will pick back up again. China overtook Canada as the leading exporter to the U.S.A. in 2009; we need to change that Canada! Scores of Canadian citizens are worried about privacy, surveillance, the U.S. collecting biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans which then are stored in U.S. databases, that concern is valid and is something that our Prime Minister will have to further address. For now, fingerprints are only mandatory for identification purposes when applying for a FAST card or NEXUS card, if you do not want to release your fingerprints, don’t apply for the cards as this is mandatory. It will be quite far into the future when any border guard will ever ask to scan your iris! One final note, there has been press released about a new border entry fee into the U.S.A.,
this has been proposed: a $5.50 entry fee for all travellers who travel into the U.S.A. via Air or Sea beginning in 2012. This is simply a proposal for the 2012 budget for the U.S.A. which for them would net millions, their reasoning is to fund security measures. Canada is of course in disagreement with this proposal, in fact our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper said “I think in terms of the economic recovery, we want to make sure that trade and travel between our two countries is easier, not more difficult.” To address any of these concerns or assistance with certification into any of this articles mentioned programs please contact
Dawn Truell, President
Cross Border Services, w w w. c r o s s b o r d e r s e r vices.org. ,
For further information please contact
Dawn Truell, President, Cross Border Services, at: w w w. c r o s s b o r d e r s e r vices.org,
crossborderservices@cogeco.net. 11
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Sandy Long
All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth “The Christmas season children too, books to entertain starts earlier and educate; clothes because and earlier they were needed. every year; a Husbands/dads got ties, socks; month bea tool, or a new razor, fore Thankswives/moms got fancy handkergiving and the holiday music chiefs, costume jewelry, a new was playing on store’s sound dress or an appliance for the systems, lights were put up in kitchen. Extended family and downtowns and homes around friends got homemade food the country, and stores were ofitems or homemade crafts. Gifts fering pre-pre were more person specific and Christmas/Thanksgiving sales. less commercially driven. Gift buying has become ‘big business’ now like at no other In today’s busy world of time in history. the ‘keeping up with the Jones’ mentality, gift buying has beIn hard times, gifts were come not only more complioften food or clothing. Many of cated, but a lot more expensive. us of the older generation reFurthermore, gifts are less about member getting oranges or who the person is and what gifts candy for Christmas in our can be afforded and more about stockings and perhaps one toy bragging rights around the comalong with clothing under the pany cooler. Instead of buying tree. Until I was 16 my grandwithin a budget as in the past, mother always bought me unnow it is ‘go into debt’ to provide derwear for Christmas. the biggest and best gifts on a Unfortunately, she wore the old person’s list and about how big time bloomer type of undies and the pile is under the tree. Gift purchased the same for me. giving has become impersonal Imagine the embarrassment I felt to most people, but not to me. as it was the tradition that each person hold up their received Being a trucker and havgifts to show everyone in the ing little time just before Christfamily what they had gotten! mas to do my gift buying, I buy Christmas gifts all year long, Gifts used to be easy to tucking them away when I get buy for family and friends and home until December. In my were about quality not quantity. travels, I look for things that I Boy children got the latest cowknow that the people I buy for boy hero products; girl children like and that would be special to got ‘Suzy homemaker’ type of them. Some of these gifts cost gifts or baby dolls. Books and very little, some a little more, but clothes were common gifts for very few are expensive. Yard
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sales provide fruitful shopping grounds for collectables that might fit into someone’s collection and also for craft gifts that I don’t make. Books to fill out a series or even sometimes first additions can be found at yard sales or second hand shops. I find many children’s clothes and books at these places too.
One of my favorite places to shop is the ‘everything in the store is $1.00’ type of stores. Most of these types of stores are found in malls that have truck parking. I have a sister in law that loves cat objects and many can be found there. My stylish mother was tickled to death last year to receive two lacey attachable collar type affairs that she could wear over a sweater or plain blouse to dress them up. My brother was delighted with his ‘proud to be an American’ coffee mug and uses it regularly when home off the truck. With 3 great nieces under 7 years of age, it was a toss up whether to give them one larger gift each or several smaller gifts. I found that they really enjoyed their little gift bags full of little dolls, age appropriate grooming products and things to play dress up with. All bought for a dollar each.
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Gifts are not about the cost, but about the person receiving the gift and the person giving it. One should think about the person one is buying the gift for, their likes and dis-
likes and that person’s circumstances. This shows that the gift buyer truly likes and appreciates the person they are buying for and was thinking about the person when the gift was bought.
Christmas has many meanings for many people and gift giving is a big part of the seaRemember that giving son. someone a gift is about the giving and making someone smile not about impressing the neighbors. A true gift is one given from the heart and so will remain a delight for years to the person who receives it. (www.facebook.com/theoneandonlytv), email (trkrsvoice@thetruckersvoice.ne t), or twitter (@trkingsantas).“
Street Smarts: A Guide to a Truck Driver's Personal Safety
Do not cuss a trucker or a farmer with your mouth full!