Thread: COMMENTARY: Hardening of the U.S./Canada Border

COMMENTARY: Hardening of the U.S./Canada Border

May 27, 2009
The Toronto Star

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is in Ottawa today to meet with Canadian officials and discuss "challenges" along the Canada-U.S. border. Our political leaders ought to take the opportunity to tell Napolitano that the main challenge is American misinformation and misdirection concerning the border.

Napolitano's visit comes just days before implementation of the passport requirement for travellers crossing into the U.S. from Canada by land — a move that is expected to cause major delays at the border.

All this for what? There are essentially two reasons for turning the Canada/U.S. border into what Napolitano calls "a real border." First there is the enduring American myth that the 9/11 terrorists got into the U.S. through Canada.

The second reason is American sensitivity to Mexico, where the U.S. is building a 1,100-kilometre fence to keep out illegal immigrants, more than 1,000 of whom cross that border every day.

So, to keep out terrorists who have demonstrated they can just as easily enter the U.S. directly and to placate Mexico and American southern border states, a virtual fence is being built along the Canada/U.S. border.

It is unlikely to keep out determined terrorists; it will do nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigrants from Mexico; but it will disrupt billions of dollars in commerce and millions of crossings of our border by tourists, relatives, day shoppers and sports teams.

This does not make sense. That's a message that Napolitano should hear forcefully from our leaders.

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/640800

Please call now and oppose nomination of sotomayor!!!!


http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-903799.html#903799