Should the US and Canada eliminate the requirement for passports to?
First, you do not need a passport to cross the US-Canada border. In addition to US Passports and Passport Cards the latter only $30 WA, MN, MI, NY, and VT issue Enhanced Driver Licenses (EDLs) valid for crossing the border. US Permanent Residents are required to cross with their Green Cards. Minors under 16 can cross with a Birth Certificate or CRBA and parental approval (if both parents not present). Trusted Travelers can cross into Canada with a NEXUS card, and back into the US also with Global Entry, FAST, or SENTRI cards. Passport-level documentation is required to screen individuals who enter Canada from other countries, to unify international border protocols, and most importantly, to keep track of people entering and leave both the US and Canada. Wanted fugitives, tax evaders, and even divorced parents removing children with dual-custody is a problem exacerbated by an open border. While the European Unions Schengen Zone makes sense since many European countries laws (and especially immigration) are nearly identical, the same is not true of the US and Canada.