Experts say bogging down border would be a mistake

In the directive, Napolitano said she wanted to determine "the vulnerabilities" of the U.S.-Canada border and how they can be improved.

The secretary is to receive an oral report on the matter on Tuesday, with a final report to follow a week later.

One of Napolitano's predecessors, as well as a former deputy prime minister of Canada, tell CTV's Power Play that any move to tighten border restrictions would be a mistake -- especially when more than $1 million worth of trade crosses the border every minute.

Former Liberal deputy prime minister John Manley says that the suggestion that the Canadian border poses a threat is nothing new in the world of bilateral politics between the U.S. and Canada.