This legislation implements a treaty that we've signed with the Americans, and the treaty itself contains a recognition of the importance and the principle of the sovereignty of states. That is incorporated in the statement of principles found in the bill, under clause 368.
To follow up on something that Stephen said a moment ago, we are contributing with the Americans a certain number of resources at the border. Let's say we have four vessels; that's as much as we'd have in terms of our own law enforcement capability or resources. By partnering with the United States, putting a Mountie and a member of the U.S. Coast Guard together onboard one of those vessels, and then contributing another four vessels, we've effectively doubled the resources of both countries—and they're all able to patrol both sides of the border. So in that sense I would suggest that we're enhancing the protection of our sovereignty because we have more enforcement people along the border.