Hi Yzma and Kronk
. How's the weather down there? A bit chilly, I hear
bunnyfoo, I couldn't get your link to work, but I went to Canada.com and found this article, below. The news I heard last night is near the bottom of the article at ***. Dh has just applied for the NEXUS border pass, since he travels to the US frequently. I wonder if that will still speed up border crossings in light of a war with Iraq? Here is the article:
Canada needs U.S. to fight smuggling
Cross-border trade in guns is keeping criminals armed, Runciman says
Gary Dimmock
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, January 24, 2003
The illegal gun trade between the United States and Canada is so uncontrollable that Ontario Security Minister Bob Runciman and Toronto police Chief Julian Fantino will urge the U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency to post "permanent" agents in Toronto to combat the flow of smuggled guns.
In border security talks in Washington yesterday, U.S. Customs revealed that American gun dealers do not need a licence to sell weapons, including restricted firearms, to buyers in Canada -- the only country in the world without such a provision.
"We were quite surprised, to say the least," Mr. Runciman said from Washington last night.
"I don't think there's any secret about the gun crime problems we've been having, especially in Toronto," Mr. Runciman added.
"In the context of spending $1 billion dollars, or who knows how much, on registering Canadian farmers with shotguns, here we have a real problem which could be changed really quickly through an agreement with the United States. But the federal government has been silent about it, let alone doing anything about it," the security minister told the Citizen.
Some of the guns used in recent murders in Toronto have been linked to the illegal trade.
Chief Fantino, who met yesterday with senior U.S. Customs, ATF, and FBI staff yesterday, is a "very strong proponent" to enlist U.S. help.
"The chief is extremely high on this so we're going to make a concerted effort to make this happen. The (ATF) has never been approached about having a permanent presence. And U.S. Customs sees it as an impediment in the challenge against gun smuggling," Mr. Runciman said.
Ontario's security minister said his department must still research why U.S. gun dealers can sell to Canadians unfettered, but explained its origin is rooted in the military equipment trade.
By sharing intelligence with U.S. agents, Mr. Runciman hopes to control gun crime, rather than guns alone.
"The gun registry thing was meaningless on its impact on crime. It focused on the wrong people and it had no effect on the street. It was all politics. Regrettably, it cost a hell of a lot to learn that lesson," he said.
***Mr. Runciman and Chief Fantino were in Washington yesterday to discuss border security issues in light of the looming conflict in Iraq.
The security minister said citizens crossing the border can expect long delays and police checks -- including a proposal to have U.S. agents, who, unlike Canadian customs officers, are armed, help in searches.
They were also warned that every single person entering the U.S. may in fact be treated with suspicion.
"We were fearful of a lockdown on the border and our concerns were founded. We certainly had indication today from American officials that indeed may occur if there is a war," Mr. Runciman said.
The Canadian trucking industry has held the same fears for months.
Increased security checks at land crossings are expected to create havoc in the cross-border industry, a $1.6 billion-dollar-a-day trade.
"With the issues surfacing now under homeland security, we're getting a lot of clues. It's going to be a lot tighter than it was before," Elly Meister, of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, told Global National.
... I know that the Public Security Minister from Ontario (and others) in Washingon meeting about that. They're trying to keep the US-Canada border open while talking about maintaining a North American border instead. Definetly bad news if the close the border completely, both for us Disney fans and Canadian and US businesses too.
