Posted on 08/20/2007 4:14:36 PM PDT by Clive
OTTAWA (CP) - Just exactly who's allowed into North America - and how long they can stay - could be heavily influenced by the complex web of initiatives known as the Security and Prosperity Partnership.
Canada, the United States and Mexico are collaborating on more than a dozen traveller security programs that fall under three umbrellas: creating trusted border documents, developing compatible immigration measures and sharing information on high-risk travellers.
The goal is to ensure none of the three countries is a weak link in the continental security chain.
While Ottawa, Washington and Mexico City say this will make citizens safer, critics charge it is a secretive bid to bolster the corporate agenda without public or parliamentary debate.
The three countries are:
-working on biometric systems - incorporating unique identifiers like iris scans and fingerprints - to improve the security for passports, visas, permanent resident cards, transportation credentials and other border documents.
-implementing immigration measures that include requirements for admission and length of stay, visa decision-making standards, border lookout systems for wanted individuals, and the possibility of entry and exit procedures, and
-devising ways to share data on high-risk travellers such as suspected terrorists and other criminals.
Dozens of other initiatives deal with aviation, cargo and maritime security, protection of crops and livestock, and increased law-enforcement and intelligence co-operation.
In many ways, the march toward trilateral collaboration on these issues began with a path laid in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
The Security and Prosperity Partnership builds on the so-called smart border accord Canada and the United States signed six years ago.
One of the measures to emerge from the accord was the safe third country agreement on refugees.
Under the agreement, each country recognizes the other as a safe place to seek protection.
It means Canada can turn back potential refugees at the Canada-U.S. border on the basis they must pursue their claims in the United States, the country where they first arrived.
Canada says that is only fair. Canadian refugee advocates strenuously oppose the deal, arguing the United States is not always a safe country for people fleeing persecution.
Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, says there's a concern that refugee protection is "left off the table" when borders are harmonized.
He fears the trilateral talks could see a similar safe country deal established between Mexico and the United States.
"The problem is that these policies simply don't provide the kinds of exceptions and allowances made to ensure that people who have very valid and legitimate protection concerns get the safety they need," Neve said.
One woman who travelled to Canada to voice opposition to the Security and Prosperity Partnership pointed to her journey as evidence of curbs on civil liberties.
Ann Wright, an anti-war activist and retired U.S. State Department official, said she was questioned for three hours by immigration officials at the Ottawa airport because of her "peaceful, non-violent arrest" for protesting in the United States.
At a news conference held by the Council of Canadians, Wright said she paid $200 for a three-day temporary visa to enter Canada "for activities in my own country that threaten no one."
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This will throw the cat in among the pigeons.
LOL Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
This must be the mode to sell loss of sovereignty to the masses.
One woman who travelled to Canada to voice opposition to the Security and Prosperity Partnership pointed to her journey as evidence of curbs on civil liberties.One big happy family, eh?Ann Wright, an anti-war activist and retired U.S. State Department official, said she was questioned for three hours by immigration officials at the Ottawa airport because of her "peaceful, non-violent arrest" for protesting in the United States.
She collects arrest wrist brands, wearing them as jewelry.
She participated in a kangaroo court calling itself the "International Commission of Inquiry On Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration" and comprised of members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, the All-African Peoples Revolutionary Party, Refuse and Resist! and the International League of Peoples' Struggle
Alright, that would explain her delay. But I have heard of others, and for ridiculous reasons. We shall see how many stories we hear....I have a feeling there will be numerous during this SPP meeting.
“The goal is to ensure none of the three countries is a weak link in the continental security chain.”
That’s just toooooooooooooo funny.
2006 (First Quarter) INS/FBI Statistical Report on Undocumented Immigrants
CRIME
* 95 % of Warrants in LOS ANGELES are for ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 83 % of Warrants for MURDER in Phoenix Arizona are FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 86 % of Warrants for MURDER in Albuquerque New Mexico are for ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 75 % of those on the most wanted list in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque are ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 24.9 % OF ALL INMATES in California detention centers are Mexican Nationals here ILLEGALLY
* 40.1 % of all inmates in Arizona detention centers are Mexican Nationals here ILLEGALLY
* 29 % (630,000) Convicted ILLEGAL ALIENS felons fill our state and federal prisons at the cost of $1.5 Billion Annually
* 53 % Plus of all investigated burglaries reported in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas are perpetrated by ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 50 % Plus of all gang members in Los Angeles are ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 71 % Plus of all apprehended Cars stolen in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California were stolen by ILLEGAL ALIENS or “Transport Coyotes “
* 47 % of cited / stopped Drivers in California have NO License, NO Insurance, and NO Registration for the vehicle of that 47 %, over 92 % were ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 63 % of cited / stopped Drivers in Arizona have NO License, NO Insurance, and NO Registration for the vehicle of that 63 %, over 97 % are ILLEGAL ALIENS
* 66 % of cited / stopped Drivers in New Mexico have NO License, NO Insurance, and NO Registration for the vehicle Of that 66 %, over 98 % were ILLEGAL ALIENS
If all the pinkos couldn’t stop NAFTA and the WTO, why do we think they can stop this? This one actually gives me hope because there are protestors on both side of the spectrum... but, weren’t there hundreds and hundreds of thousands of protestors around the time of the other “trade agreements”?
Deport all the illegals and then we can talk about these propsals.
Probably, but it matters not the numbers of protestors, these traitorous bass turds do not care about the serfs.
“Alright, that would explain her delay.”
The SPP will lead us down a road to being more like.........ummm.......China or Russia.
Ok, then we can block all OTM’s trying to get to the US from mexico.
Yea, that’ll happen. Sure thing.
This deals with the problem of forum shopping between the two countries.
As to Mexico, it would require that there be a Mexican government willing to cooperate with the US instead of turning a blind eye to blatant rampant people smuggling along the length of the border.
I have no doubt that the blood of our forefathers will not stand for long the yoke of tyranny that the traitors in office have planned for each one of us.
ping
“RAUL H. YZAGUIRRE currently serves as the Presidential Professor of Practice at Arizona State University (Community Development and Civil Rights). Mr. Yzaguirre, who recently retired as President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) in Washington,
DC (1974-2005), spearheaded the council’s emergence as the largest constituency-based national Hispanic organization and think tank in the United States.”
Just a little sidenote: This guy is currently an advisor for the Clinton campaign.
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