CHARBONNEAU – Canada needs its own trusted-traveller program

IT MAKES NO SENSE that Canadians need approval from a foreign country to be trusted to fly within their own country, or to  countries other than the U.S.

Yet, that’s what we have to do.

I applied to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for my NEXUS travel card a few years ago only to be met with frustration.

It seemed like a good way to avoid lengthy lineups at the airport when travelling to Mexico.

At first, I was a little hesitant in acquiring the NEXUS card because it seemed like I would be jumping the queue; like those snooty people who use their privilege to move ahead of the common folk.

But I justified it through efficiency and security.

The card reduces wait times at airports for everyone because it allows resources to be focused where they are needed most. It improves security by reducing the time that’s needed to be spent on travellers who have already been subject to an extensive background check and deemed to be low-risk, while enabling a greater focus on those who are higher-risk.

So, conscience assuaged, I paid my 50 bucks and applied. The first stage of my application was approved fairly quickly.

The final stage could be completed in one of two ways. If I was flying to the U.S. from Vancouver, my application could be completed by American and Canadian customs officials at the airport.

But I had no intention of traveling to the U.S., even less so now with the mad king running the show.

The other option was to travel to Blaine, Washington,  where the final stage could be completed.

I thought, OK, I can do that. A few years ago, when I still had warm feelings about America, it seemed like a pleasant overnight trip (my aunt used to live in California).

All I had to do was schedule an appointment in Blaine. However, that proved to be next to impossible. The calendar for making appointments was only open one day a month and it filled quicker than I could blink.

I gave up trying to get the card. If the email that I recently received is any indication, there are many other Canadians who paid for the card and  still haven’t been given final approval.

The email from Homeland Security offered me a “special engagement.” It read, in part:

“SEATTLE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in coordination with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is now offering a special engagement for conditionally approved applicants to complete their NEXUS enrollment interviews. The event will be held at King County International Airport, Boeing Field, from Feb. 24-26 [2026].”

Thanks but no thanks.

Others are not even applying. Not when NEXUS applications now require fingerprinting and photography for facial recognition and the cost has gone up.

According to Canada Border Services Agency figures for 2025 the number of Canadians who applied for a NEXUS card is down significantly. There were just under 245,000 applications in 2025, down from over 530,000 in 2024 — a drop of more than 50 per cent year-over-year.

We need our own trusted-traveller program.

David Charbonneau is a retired TRU electronics instructor who hosts a blog at http://www.eyeviewkamloops.wordpress.com.