Do you travel between the United States and Canada frequently? Would you pay $50 and agree to a screening to make the border crossing quicker and easier? If so, you’re an ideal candidate for the Nexus program.
According to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, all you have to do is,
…fill out a form that asks for all your addresses, your employment history from the last 5 years, $50 in administration fees and copies of your passport, your driver’s licence (front and back), and your birth certificate. Once the form is filled and signed, it is then evaluated by both countries that decide if you make it to the next (heavy duty) step — an interview where you will be fingerprinted and have your iris scanned. Pass this test and you’ll receive your Nexus Card…
It sounds like a pain in the ass, but if the up-front effort saves more time in the long run, it would be worth it. Worth it if you’re a U.S. citizen, that is. The price for Canadians is far higher.
…the minute you sign that form, you are authorizing the U.S. government, under section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, to obtain any document or personal information under terrorist claims without your consent or knowledge and to share that information with whomever they chose.
Canadians enjoy more privacy in that the government requires your permission to give your information to a third party.
Does the Nexus program still sound so wonderful?
N.B.: I read of the Nexus program on the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s blog. It cites a La Presse article written by Jean-Philippe Brunet. Not being so fluent in the Français, I couldn’t find the article, much less read it.