Canadians consulted on a controversial border security deal still in the works with the United States aren’t sold on boosting collaboration between the two countries’ law-enforcement officials, a new report suggests.
The report on the potential perimeter security agreement released on Monday shows nearly half of Canadians who weighed in opposed greater integration of law enforcement between Canada and the United States.
Many who took part in a federal consultation on the agreement voiced concerns about information sharing and the impact of joint programs on civil liberties, the report says.
At the same time, others “called for an open border, more enforcement powers for the Canadian Border Services Agency, and joint enforcement and co-operation in support of a common perimeter,” it says.
Cross-border policing is one of four areas targeted for closer collaboration in a joint declaration issued by the Canadian and U.S. governments in February. The other areas are addressing threats early, trade facilitation, economic growth and jobs, and critical infrastructure and cybersecurity.
The declaration could lead to a formal North American security perimeter aimed at expanding co-operation on continental security while allowing a smoother flow of goods and people across the Canada-U.S. border.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who released the report in Toronto, said the government is working on an ambitious plan that will take into account concerns raised during the consultations.
“We have listened and listened carefully” to submissions from more than 1,000 Canadians as well as community, business and civil liberties groups, he told reporters Monday.
Critics have expressed concerns about how the deal could affect privacy and sovereignty in Canada.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Accountability is also a concern, said Graeme Norton
“If you do have an American officer policing in Canada and somebody doesn’t like what they do, who do you complain to?” he said.
“Our overriding suggestion here is that any type of expansion of cross-border policing must be completely and totally demonstrated to be necessary,” he said, adding that most cases could likely be handled by domestic police forces.
Mr. Baird said the agreement will respect Canadians’ legal and privacy rights.
Federal officials led consultations with a range of stakeholders this spring, including the public. The consultations were conducted partly through a website.
Dozens of people who sent in submissions called for more transparency, saying details of the proposed agreement were being kept under wraps.
Some questioned the consultation exercise, with one calling it “window dressing to make the government of Canada appear to be forthcoming” with the public.
Over the last 20 years there has been a gradual and increasing amount of
information supplied to the US government by the Canadian government.
Since Mr. Harper came to power, this flow of information has now increased to
the point that there is now hardly any information stored on a Canadian
Government computer that is not shared with the US Government.
Just cross the border and listen carefully to those questions, all very
carefully asked with a fundamental theme of an attempt to entrap a Canadian into
failing to acknowledge a relatively mundane irrelevant previous incident decades
earlier in their life.
At first blush, the answer to their question should be no, however if you answer
no, when they know its yes, that would be providing false information and
despite no criminal record whatsoever, you could be made inadmissible to the
United States.
What's the purpose?
The purpose is to make it clear, they are the US Government and they have
anything and everything that the Canadian government has and, are at the end of
the day, a higher authority.
It gets worse.
Canada is systematically copying American concepts in the justice system from
the uniforms that police where, to criminal codes even down the Rules of
Criminal and Civil Procedure.
To comply with an Americanization of Canada, Mr. Harper has to increase the
number of jails, to increase the numbers of prisoners, not because crime has
steadily decreased over the last two decades but solely, because of the
influence of the American brainless illogical ideas on the justice system.
In the USA, you see election posters for family court judges.
In Canada, its a dark secret and a lot more sinister. Politicians with power,
who receive donations, get to say who will become a judge.
Take Sheila Cops, word is she is solely responsible for the appointment of
Cheryl Robertson, an extreme feminist judge who flagrantly abuses her judicial
powers to help her political friends in the extreme feminist movement.
Its enough to make you want to puke.