DETROIT ? In the shadow of a bridge that is the busiest crossing point between the United States and Canada, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien declared Monday that a new quick-pass system for trusted regulars would boost security and speed commerce between the two countries.

“This great and peaceful border must be open to business, must be open to people, and it’s got to be closed to terrorists and criminals,” Bush said, as a trickle of trucks rattled across the flag-adorned Ambassador Bridge that connects the two countries.

“Our inspectors will spend less time inspecting law-abiding citizens and more time inspecting those who may harm us.”

Bush also held a behind-closed-doors session with Chretien in which he pressed his case for action against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Chretien, like many other world leaders reluctant to join a military campaign against Iraq, has said he has yet to see evidence that would justify Canadian support.

Neither leader would comment afterward to reporters and included no mention of Iraq in their public remarks. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said that Bush, having not asked Chretien to change his view, won no commitments.

As they have recently started doing with regularity, small groups of anti-war protesters greeted Bush’s motorcade on its short trip through town. “Drop Bush, not bombs,” said one handwritten sign.

The small audience of customs officials and local businesspeople, which responded to Bush’s speech with only tepid applause in places, also seemed more preoccupied with Iraq than the day’s official topic of border security.

“He needs to get the other countries behind him before he moves,” said Dick Pierson, the owner of a lumber and building wholesale company in New Baltimore, Mich., who echoed many others present.

Bush and Chretien applauded two programs meant to speed prescreened truckers and individual travelers across the nations’ long, shared border which logs $1.3 billion in trade each day.

“The threat of terror will not undermine the security of our citizens or hold our economies hostage,” Chretien said.

The Free and Secure Trade Program will allow U.S. and Canadian companies to register, starting Monday, their goods, trucks and drivers with the governments ahead of time. As of December in Detroit and five other crossings, the trucks will be able to cross through special lanes, their information instantly verified by computer.