Posted on 04/15/2006 12:22:07 PM PDT by Daralundy
WASHINGTON - Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay took a swipe at the former Liberal government for not moving more quickly on a controversial border ID issue after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday, but failed to convince her to back down from a congressional plan to have a form of secure identification in effect by 2008.
"I believe we have established a much better line of communication," MacKay said in a joint press conference at the U.S. State Department. "The previous government could have done much more to engage in this at an earlier stage."
But Rice said the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires anyone crossing into or out of the United States to have a passport or a high-technology ID card by the end of next year, was law and would be enforced, a sentiment expressed by President George W. Bush last month in meetings with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Rice said MacKay was adamant about the potential impact on the huge volume of people and goods crossing the border. About 300,000 people cross back and forth every day from both sides. Two-way trade is also about $1.4 billion a day.
"He did make it very clear about the great concern in Canada" about the new border measures, she said.
"I'm sure ... that we can arrange for something that is secure and that allows travel to continue without detrimental effect," Rice said, adding that Canada will be able to "comment" directly on what the U.S. plans to do.
"What we are trying to do is use the full range of possibilities for fulfilling those obligations under the law. We are looking for something that is inexpensive, something that's not so hard to get, but that is nonetheless secure."
Ottawa has been trying to press the Bush administration to at least delay its border plans, but Bush told Harper at a NAFTA meeting in Cancun, Mexico, last month that he has no choice but to obey the law from Congress brought in after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to make both the northern and southern borders more secure.
Earlier this week, MacKay suggested Canada could do more to head off the U.S. plan, appearing to put him at odds with Harper, who said after the Cancun summit that there would be no stopping the plan and that Canada had to make its ``best efforts to comply with the situation we find ourselves in.''
MacKay suggested the proposal would benefit neither government.
``Is this something that can be reversed or slowed down? Possibly,'' he said. ``We know the technology doesn't exist and quite frankly I'm not sure that they can meet their own deadlines.''
Critics on both sides of the border say the passport plan would drastically curtail traffic between the two countries. Only 20 per cent of Americans and 37 per cent of Canadians have passports.
The new requirement would come into effect for air and sea travel in 2007 and for land crossings in 2008.
border ping!
I don't know what the big deal is, all they have to do is fly to mexico and then come on across. We only check IDs at our northern border, everyone knows terrorists won't try to come into the country via our southern border!/sar
So let's deal with the world as it is, rather than as we would wish it to be.
As to our concern that while most Canadians will obtain passports, most US citizens will not and will simply abstain from coming to Canada, let's remember that the US is rapidly drifting toward a national ID system in which Yanks will have to carry official ID for most internal purposes including being able to board aircraft or trains, buy cars or trucks, make bank deposits or enter public buildings.
So the shortage of Yanks unable to visit Canada for want of official ID will solve itself.
-
"I don't know what the big deal is, all they have to do is fly to mexico and then come on across. We only check IDs at our northern border, everyone knows terrorists won't try to come into the country via our southern border!/sar."
Which terrorists came over the southern border?
The 9/11/2001 terrorists mainly came in legally with visas, and overstayed.
The federal government is inept, unless it comes to the IRS. They will find you, even if the immigration authorities cannot.
I never said any terrorists came over, but they can and they can do it easier on the southern border than they can in the north. Do you guarantee none have crossed our southern border? Our southern border is like a sign post to terrorists that says "This way to America, plant your bombs here, if you need assistance or directions please consult with the border patrol".
Quote:
"Yanks will have to carry official ID for most internal purposes including being able to board aircraft or trains, buy cars or trucks, make bank deposits or enter public buildings."
Why not just tattoo us at birth?
No need to argue.
On 9/12/2001 I'm sure a national poll would favor highest priority to deter terrorists, not farm and construction workers.
Facts prove there are many ways to enter legally and illegally. The WTC terrorists came in legally.
Whether the intent of an border crosser is to commit terror or to get a job, we make it easy, don't we?
The biggest hassle I ever got at a border was getting off a jet in Calgary in Feb. 1980. The Canadian authorities were "protecting" their citizens from me coming up to take their jobs!!
I lived in Germany for awhile. They were smarter about law enforcement, than the US. But at times, they have gotten carried away.
I can understand how the Liberals with their appeal to anti-Americanism made co-operation difficult.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.