In the eleven years since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect, the continent has undergone two major transformations: economic and social integration has accelerated, due in large part to NAFTA, and 9/11 exposed the vulnerabilities of integration. All this occurred in the absence of new modes of governance or collaboration, making security and integration more important but also more tenuous.
Tri-national collaboration is essential to ensure regional prosperity and security. In this important report, a distinguished group of Canadian, Mexican, and American experts explore key issues that require more cooperation on the continent—including economics, regulatory policy, security, the developing gap, and tri-national institutions—and offers a vision for the relationship among the three countries for the next ten years.
The report recommends a single economic space that expands economic opportunity for all people in the region, and the establishment of a security zone that protects the region from external threats while facilitating the legitimate passage of goods, people, and capital. Containing French, Spanish, and English texts in a single volume, Creating a North American Community is an essential guide to possible futures for Canada, Mexico, and the United States.