Thread: U.S. considers fence across Canadian border

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U.S. considers fence across Cdn. border
Motion would see construction of wall similar to one in place across Mexico

Randy Boswell
CanWest News Service


Saturday, December 17, 2005


Add the spectre of security walls rising along "the world's longest undefended border" to a federal election campaign already being driven by debate about Canada's relations with the United States.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted late Thursday to consider erecting "physical barriers" along the American border with Canada, the firmest step yet toward building the kinds of fences now in place on the Mexican frontier to stop the northward flow of illegal aliens and smuggled goods.

The directive to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was passed by a strong majority of the House and contained in an amendment to a controversial immigration bill working its way through Congress.

The motion cleared the way for about 1,100 kilometres of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, but also urged the agency to "conduct a study on the use of physical barriers along the northern border."

Clashes between Prime Minister Paul Martin and U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins over climate change, handguns and softwood lumber -- prompting Martin's stump-speech pledge not to be "dictated to" by the U.S. -- have soured U.S.-Canada relations and prompted opposition claims the Liberals are recklessly provoking conflicts to win votes.

On Friday, a spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who is responsible for handling cross-border security issues in the federal cabinet, said barriers have not been part of Canada's security strategy and have not been raised in bilateral discussions with the U.S.

"Given the size of the border, you're not going to have a wall all along the border," said Alex Swann, noting that "static" defences are widely viewed as less effective than risk-reduction measures such as identity cards.

"You never rule out anything in the security game," he added, but "it's not a priority for us."

Sponsored by Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican who has long championed fences and walls to halt illegal crossings in the southwestern U.S., the plan to shore up America's borders passed by a vote of 260-159 on Thursday but was strongly denounced by some Democrats as a "Berlin Wall" for North America.

"America with walls between Canada and Mexico is not an America that reaches out for people to come here legally," argued Rep. Sam Farr, a California Democrat.

Farr's press secretary, Jessica Schafer, told CanWest News Service on Friday the congressman will keep fighting to have the fence provisions stripped from the final legislation.

"This would be a massive change in how the borders with Canada and Mexico operate," she said. "Canada is supposed to be our friend. Why in the world would we do this?"

Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, one of the strongest proponents of the immigration bill and a backer of the Hunter amendment, said during

Thursday's debate: "Our nation has lost control of its borders, which has resulted in a sharp increase in illegal immigration and has left us vulnerable to infiltration by terrorists and criminals."

There is a strong belief among many in the U.S. that Canada serves as a conduit for anti-American terrorists. Despite false suggestions that several of the September 2001 hijackers had entered the U.S. from Canada, the thwarting of Montreal-based "Millennium Bomber" Ahmed Ressam's planned attack on the Los Angeles airport in 2000 has fixed Canada as a "safe haven" in the minds of many Americans.

Earlier this year, the Minutemen volunteer border brigade drew controversy and accusations of being xenophobic vigilantes when it carried out its firstever northern patrols. And a grassroots U.S. lobby group called Let Freedom Ring -- which runs the website WeNeedaFence.com and is strongly backing Hunter's proposals -- has also urged consideration of barriers along the U.S.-Canada border.

Last month, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced a secure-border initiative that provided for increased use of unmanned "drone" aircraft, infrared cameras and other high-tech surveillance measures, as well as increased staffing, to patrol the Mexican and Canadian borders.

But driven by concerns in the U.S. southwest about the tide of illegal immigrants and goods, and touting the effectiveness of an existing barrier near San Diego, Hunter has pressed lawmakers to approve widespread border fencing as a national security imperative.

Hunter, who is also chair of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, claimed Thursday that the San Diego wall has "cut down on murders, it's cut down on smuggling, and it's brought order on both sides of the border."

Even before passage of Hunter's proposal, Mexican President Vincente Fox had denounced border fencing as a "disgraceful and shameful" initiative that violates human rights and does nothing for the U.S. economy. He has urged Congress to grant legal status to millions of Mexican illegals now living in the U.S.

Canada and the U.S. have long and proudly promoted their shared management of the world's longest "undefended" border. But the official terminology describing the boundary has been undergoing an adjustment recently to avoid leaving the impression of a frontier that's undefended against terrorism.

In a major speech during his visit to Canada last year, U.S. President George W. Bush made pointed reference to the merits of maintaining an "unfortified" border between the two countries while pressing ahead with measures to bolster security.

"Canadians and Americans benefit from the free movement of people and commerce across the world's longest unfortified border," he said at the time.

"Yet, we must work to ensure that our ports of entry are closed to terrorists and criminals and deadly weapons."

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/051217/w121758.html

Canada says it has no interest in U.S. plan to study fence at border
17:57:11 EST Dec 17, 2005
BETH GORHAM

WASHINGTON (CP) - Canada has no interest in a new U.S. initiative to study building a security wall along the border, officials said Saturday.

And a cross-border business group said it makes no sense when what's urgently required are measures to speed the flow of trade.

The study "on the use of physical barriers" was slipped into an amendment to a bill on border security and illegal immigration passed Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The amendment, sponsored by California Republican Duncan Hunter, also approved building security fences with lights and cameras along more than 1,000 kilometres of the U.S.-Mexico border in four states to keep out illegal aliens and drugs.

The move comes amid heightened bilateral tensions arising from Canada's election campaign. But U.S. sources said it was prompted by southern U.S. politicians anxious to assure constituents they're not penalizing one border over another.

Alex Swann, spokesman for Canada's Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan, said the U.S. administration has never discussed the notion with Canada during regular meetings on border security.

"This is not a priority for us," said Swann.

"There's all sorts of things we want to do. This just isn't one of them," Swann added.

He insisted such a barrier would be impractical.

"Just look at the Great Lakes."

Scotty Greenwood, executive director of the Canadian-American Business Council, said the study is a waste.

"It's an indication of a lack of understanding about what the true challenges are on the northern border," she said.

"Just the fact that it would quietly pass is scary. They'll study it and it isn't going to be controversial."

"That's the tragedy. They shouldn't be spending limited resources doing that."

Legislators should be focused instead on improving key border crossings like Windsor-Detroit, the world's busiest, and expanding programs that expedite the flow of people and goods like NEXUS and FAST, Greenwood said.

"Security, sure. But it should be smart security."

"One size does not fit all."

The entire border security bill, which includes other measures to tighten the southern border and stop illegal aliens from finding jobs, passed by a vote of 239-182.

Conservatives have long wanted to build a barrier along the Mexican border. Although some Democrats compared it with the Berlin Wall in Germany, 50 party members supported the amendment to erect fences and direct the Department of Homeland Security to study doing the same on the Canadian border.

"You typically have these diplomatic-type protests that speak stupidly of the Great Wall in Canada or some other nutty comparison," Hunter told the National Conservative Weekly, noting there's already a 23-kilometre stretch of fence in San Diego.

"We're simply talking of having a real border and asking people when they want to come to the United States that they come in the front door."

Canada has long fought the perception it's a haven for terrorists, combatting the mistaken belief some of those involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks entered the United States from the north.

There have also been complaints from some U.S. legislators that Canadian immigration policies are too lax, although there are an estimated 50,000 to 120,000 people in Canada without legal status, compared with more than eight million in the United States.

In 2004, the U.S. Border Patrol made over one million apprehensions on the southwestern border, compared with 10,000 at the Canadian line.

After the attacks, both countries took steps to increase security along what's been known as the longest undefended border in the world. About 300,000 people and $1.2 billion US in goods and services cross daily.

The so-called smart border accord sought to strike a balance between security and trade by creating joint policing and sharing more information.

In its last budget, Canada increased funding for its border security agency by $430 million over five years.

U.S. officials are now considering a plan that would a require passports or other secure document of anyone crossing the border. Canada and tourism and business groups in both countries oppose the passport plan, saying it's too expensive and would seriously hinder commerce and casual visits.

The passport issue, container security and the Windsor crossing are among Canada's priorities, said Swann.

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/051217/w121750.html

U.S. plan to study fence at border assailed by business group
17:04:18 EST Dec 17, 2005
BETH GORHAM

WASHINGTON (CP) - A U.S. plan to study building a security wall along the Canadian border makes no sense when what's urgently required are measures to speed the flow of trade, a cross-border business group said Saturday.

The study "on the use of physical barriers" was slipped into an amendment to a bill on border security and illegal immigration passed Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The amendment, sponsored by California Republican Duncan Hunter, also approves building security fences with lights and cameras along more than 1,000 kilometres of the U.S.-Mexico border in four states to keep out illegal aliens and drugs.

"It's an indication of a lack of understanding about what the true challenges are on the northern border," said Scotty Greenwood, executive director of the Canadian-American Business Council.

"Just the fact that it would quietly pass is scary. They'll study it and it isn't going to be controversial."

"That's the tragedy. They shouldn't be spending limited resources doing that."

Legislators should be focused instead on improving key border crossings like Windsor-Detroit, the world's busiest, and expanding programs that expedite the flow of people and goods like NEXUS and FAST, Greenwood said.

"Security, sure. But it should be smart security."

"One size does not fit all."

The entire border security bill, which includes other measures to tighten the southern border and stop illegal aliens from finding jobs, passed by a vote of 239-182.

Conservatives have long wanted to build a barrier along the Mexican border. Although some Democrats compared it with the Berlin Wall in Germany, 50 party members supported the amendment to erect fences and direct the Department of Homeland Security to study doing the same on the Canadian border.

"You typically have these diplomatic-type protests that speak stupidly of the Great Wall in Canada or some other nutty comparison," Hunter told the National Conservative Weekly, noting there's already a 23-kilometre stretch of fence in San Diego.

"We're simply talking of having a real border and asking people when they want to come to the United States that they come in the front door."

Canada has long fought the perception it's a haven for terrorists, combatting the mistaken belief some of those involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks entered the United States from the north.

There have also been complaints from some U.S. legislators that Canadian immigration policies are too lax, although there are an estimated 50,000 to 120,000 people in Canada without legal status, compared with more than eight million in the United States.

In 2004, the U.S. Border Patrol made over one million apprehensions on the southwestern border, compared with 10,000 at the Canadian line.

After the attacks, both countries took steps to increase security along what's been known as the longest undefended border in the world. About 300,000 people and $1.2 billion US in goods and services cross daily.

The so-called smart border accord sought to strike a balance between security and trade by creating joint policing and sharing more information.

U.S. officials are now considering a plan that would a require passports or other secure document of anyone crossing the border. Canada and tourism and business groups in both countries oppose the passport plan, saying it's too expensive and would seriously hinder commerce and casual visits.

I support the fence on both borders.

Hoorah!!

We're wall them out for our security, our peace of mind, our protections, our nation and our future.

So..."North American Community".....GET LOST....this the United States of America and the American People have spoken. WE rule the United States. WE decide what happens here and WE're not interested in any back door, back room "merger" by FTA or "Pact" with Mexico or Canada.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with our long term friendship with the people of Canada or Mexico which we expect to continue as it should. But we are not blending our nation or people with yours.

This has to do with Traitors in the US Government working with leaders of your nations trying to end the United States.

They've been exposed; they are being stopped; and appropriate action will be taken. WE expect you to do the same with your leaders.