Thread: Border deal Allows US Cops To Operate In Canada fuels concer

Border deal fuels concerns in Canada

Published On Tue Nov 29 2011


President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper will unveil in Washington next week far-reaching changes in Canadian-American border operations. SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES file photo

OTTAWA—Armed U.S. police officers will for the first time be allowed to operate in Canada along with the RCMP as part of far-reaching changes in Canadian-American border operations to be unveiled next week by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama.

The joint action plan to be announced at the White House will also break new ground by introducing exit-entry records that will track the movements of everyone who leaves the United States or Canada, with the information available to authorities in both countries.

In the months and years ahead, the deal between Ottawa and Washington will reshape security, travel and commercial arrangements at the border in a variety of profound ways — some of which have already raised alarms among Canadians.

The agreement, which has been the subject of confidential negotiations since last winter, is intended to reverse the economically damaging border tie-ups that have been growing since Sept. 11, 2001, while upgrading anti-crime and anti-terrorist security for both countries.

In contrast to the silence from Canadian negotiators, some U.S. officials have been open about what the new reality at the border will look like in the years ahead.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder revealed last fall that the deal will authorize Canada and the U.S. to designate officers who can take part in police investigations on both sides of the border. The pilot project, Holder said, will improve the two countries’ ability to deal with the “unprecedentedâ€

and soon Mexican police will be allowed to operate in the United States.

Most of us have read the planning documents on this right? Anyone here that has not read the planning documents for what they have in mind for us?

W