U.S Border Patrol May Be More Foe Than Friend to Canada

Discussions on the U.S. response to increase security by 45 percent after top officials talked openly to build stronger ties to the two countries have caused debate.

On May 27, Canadian public safety minister, Peter Van Loan and U.S Secretary of homeland security, Janet Napolitano met to discuss border relations between the two countries.

“We are committed to a collaborative approach to our border—one that enhances our security and public safety while facilitating the trade and travel that connects our two countries,” they said in a joint statement.

But, memories of 9/11 aren’t too far in the past for Americans. Last week. Jayson Ahern, acting commissioner for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced $12 million out of the $60 million allocated to improving border protection will be spent by increasing the number of agents stationed in the Northern states patrolling the U.S./Canadian border.

Currently, there are around 1,500 agents monitoring the Canadian border, this will increase to a little more than 1,800 by the end of this year and nearly 2,300 by the end of 2010.

Deborah Aarts, managing editor of MM&D magazine in Toronto, Ontario, Canada writes a strong opinion of what she thinks is a mis-representation the U.S. has given in its cooperation to work together to secure and protect its border as well as continue open trade.

What I have a problem with is the one-sidedness of it all. The US agreed to work together with Canada on border issues, then promptly announced on its own its intent to ramp up security by 45 percent. The Canada Border Services Agency has voiced no similar plans. Even if the decision was made before the May 27 meeting, and even if Canada knew about it, the optics suggest that the two countries are not on the same page.

Although Ms. Aarts doesn’t speak for every Canadian, I’m sure more decisions and debates will arise as plans begin to be implemented.

To read more about the increase in U.S security, click here.

To read more about Deborah Aarts editoral, click here.