9.3.2 The Undefended Border and the Peace Arch

The frontier between the two countries has traditionally been called "the world's longest undefended border." Millions of Canadians and Americans cross it every year, and they cross in safety. The name points to how peaceful the relationship between the two neighbours is. A border as open as this one also makes trade and everyday travel far easier for both sides. It stands as one of the clearest signs of the close ties that Canada and the United States share.

At Blaine, in the American state of Washington, a monument called the Peace Arch stands on the boundary between the two countries. It carries two inscriptions. One of them reads "children of a common mother." The other reads "brethren dwelling together in unity." Both lines describe the friendship between Canadians and Americans as a family bond. The arch is a symbol of the close ties and the common interests that join the two nations, and its place on the border makes that message hard to miss.