The CSA has set up a special 'hot line' service, exclusively for CSA members, which will provide border-crossing assistance in the event of an issue or difficulty arising at the US/Canada border. This new member benefit will not only assist our members, but it will also allow CSA to share relevant information with both the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). By working together, these groups will hopefully be able to quickly identify and resolve any border-crossing problems our members may encounter. We should point out that CSA cannot gain access to the United States for a member who is not eligible to enter, but we can assist in contacting the right people to clear up misunderstandings, assist in resolving time limit issues and help members with proper documentation.

To access this service, a member can call our toll-free hotline, 1-800-265-3200, state their membership number, and tell the operator that they are having, or have previously experienced, a border-crossing problem. The member's call will automatically be routed to a Customer Service Representative, who has been trained to respond to most normal questions and problems. In unusual or extreme cases our CSA legal counsel will be contacted for further advice and information on our member's behalf.

George Costaris, Manager of Political-Economic Relations and Public Affairs, Canadian Consulate General, Detroit regards our new initiative as "A great example of a partnership between the CSA and the Canadian government. [You're] getting information out to people who may have apprehension and misinformation regarding crossing the Canadian/US border. We look forward to working with the CSA to respond immediately to real concerns and issues facing Canadian travellers."

The INS is also very supportive of CSA's new Border Assistance Program. In a discussion about the project, Michael Cronin, Associate Commissioner, Programs (Inspections), US Department of Immigration and Naturalization said, "The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service continues to look forward to working with the CSA to resolve border crossing issues while continuing to preserve the security of our common border and recognizing the unique situation of CSA members,"

CSA President, Ellen White, believes that our new Border-Assist program, will be invaluable for members that find themselves facing a crisis at a Canada/US border point. The Program will not only assist our members, individually, but it will also help the CSA to monitor many border crossing issues and to make recommendations for change, based on the concrete statistical data we collect. We expect that, following a successful launch of Border-Assist for the United States, CSA will review a possible expansion of the program to include other countries.