American Cops Don't Belong in Canada
Posted: 08/02/2013 8:53 am(http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1273913/thumbs/r-CANADA-US-BORDER-large570.jpg?6)
QuoteA few years ago, Stephen Harper told us that by the time he was done in office, we wouldn't recognize Canada. How true, and troubling, those words have become.
In Harper's relatively short seven years running the country, we have seen the Americanization of our parliamentary democracy. We have an enemies list, fact free attack ads, and constant negativity and division.
We've also seen the Americanization of our justice system where facts and evidence are replaced by "gut feelings", and an obsession with retribution.
Now we are now witnessing the Americanization of our law enforcement. Armed American police officers will now operate on Canadian soil.
Bit by bit, agreement by agreement, Canada is giving away more and more in the name of trade. To Conservatives, none of this is a threat to our sovereignty, as if the very act of stating so makes it so.
But let us consider this fantasy scenario: RCMP officers stopping American citizens on the Buffalo side of their border. Picture the horrified expression of those resilient New Yorkers as they are forced to slow down on their Interstate highway so as to be greeted by a smiling RCMP officer who is to inspect their property, ask questions about where they live, where they've come from, and the like -- all part of a so called "pre-clearing" program.
Of course, this scene would never occur. The United States protects, obsessively, their sovereignty. But here in Canada, armed American police officers will now be able to stop Canadians, in Canada, inspecting, checking and asking questions.
Again, the Conservatives will tell us that an armed American cop in Canada is all about trade, jobs and security, not sovereignty. If this is true, then can we not expect to see Mounties stopping Americans on the Buffalo side?
I don't believe Canadians want American police operating and carrying guns in Canada. It's just not right.
Harper did promise though that when he's done, we won't recognize Canada. Perhaps we can all reminiscence about that when stopped and questioned by an American police officer, in our own country.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sean-casey/border-security-canada_b_3691387.html
Canada-U.S. Border: American Police Want Legal Exemptions, RCMP Says
By Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
Posted: 07/30/2013 3:37 pm EDTQuoteOTTAWA - The United States wants its police officers to be exempt from Canadian law if they agree to take part in a highly touted cross-border policing initiative, says an internal RCMP memo.
The debate over whose laws would apply to U.S. officers working in Canada raises important questions of sovereignty and police accountability, says the briefing note prepared for RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson.
"Canadians would likely have serious concerns with cross-designated officers from the U.S. not being accountable for their actions in Canada."
The planned pilot project — part of a sweeping Canada-U.S. perimeter security pact — would see the two countries build on joint border-policing efforts by creating integrated teams in areas such as intelligence and criminal investigations.
The perimeter deal, being phased in over several years, aims to ensure the safe, speedy passage of goods and people across the 49th parallel while bolstering North American defences.
The October 2012 RCMP memo was intended to brief Paulson for a meeting with David Moloney, a senior adviser to the Privy Council Office for implementing the vaunted perimeter security deal. A censored version of the classified document was recently obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
It notes that plans were underway for trial projects in the areas of policing and the preclearance of truck cargo, each involving U.S. officers working alongside Canadian counterparts.
The cargo pilot project — which has since been announced — entails U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working in Fort Erie, Ont., and Surrey, B.C., to pre-inspect southbound shipments according to American customs procedures.
The so-called Next Generation policing project — whose pilots have yet to be finalized — would involve U.S. and Canadian officers working on each other's turf to enforce the host country's laws.
However, according to the RCMP, the two countries haven't seen eye to eye on the tricky question of which country's legal system would deal with a police officer accused of breaking the law.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/07/30/border-security-us-police-legal-exemptions_n_3678240.html