Pubdate: Sat, 20 Oct 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Tobi Cohen

NEW BORDER RULES TOO MUCH LIKE THE U.S., NDP SAY

Critics fear that new border security measures in the latest federal 
budget bill may force visitors to Canada to reveal whether they're a 
drug user or have a communicable disease such as gonorrhea.

And because the measures are crammed into the sweeping bill that 
covers many unrelated topics, they may not get proper scrutiny, the 
critics say.

According to the budget implementation bill tabled this week, Canada 
is set to adopt the Electronic Travel Authorization system by 2015 
for people arriving by air from visa-exempt countries, including many 
European nations.

The Canadian initiative is part of the "Beyond the Border" perimeter 
security deal with the U.S. The deal signed last year explicitly 
states the Canadian ETA is to "mirror measures taken in the United 
States through its Electronic System for Travel Authorization."

NDP public safety critic Randall Garrison, MP for Esquimalt-Juan de 
Fuca, said he supports the principle of electronic travel 
authorization systems - which many countries have implemented 
successfully - but he has concerns.

"This government hasn't demonstrated in the past a great commitment 
to protection of privacy," Garrison said.

"Putting it in this big bill, I'm worried we won't get a chance to 
actually discuss what exactly is intended and how the information 
will be used because it won't get proper scrutiny and proper debate 
by being shoved into an omnibus budget bill."

Besides basic biographical, passport and contact information, the 
U.S. form asks would-be visitors if they have a "communicable 
disease," "physical or mental disorder" or are a "drug abuser or addict."

Gonorrhea and syphilis are included among the examples provided and 
the U.S. government appears to be interested in those with disorders 
who could "pose a threat" to the "property, safety or welfare" of 
themselves or others.

The form also asks travellers if they've ever been "arrested or 
convicted" of an offence related to "moral turpitude," a controlled 
substance, drug trafficking or two or more crimes that could result 
in a sentence of at least five years.

The federal government argues the new tool would allow Canada to 
prevent inadmissible travellers such as failed refugee claimants, 
criminals and people on no-fly lists from entering the country since 
they'll be stopped before they buy their ticket or board a plane. The 
government says it would speed up the processing of legitimate 
travellers and reduce costs related to having to remove inadmissible 
people after they arrive at the border.

Nancy Caron, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration, said it's 
too soon to say which questions the Canadian ETA will pose.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom