From Susan Munroe,
Your Guide to Canada Online.
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The Canadian Senate Committee on National Security and Defence has recommended that Canadian customs inspectors be given guns if a continued police presence cannot be provided at all Canada-U.S. border crossings. In "Borderline Insecure," an interim report on the security of the Canadian border released June 15, 2005, the Senate Committee says that police backup for border crossings, which is supposed to be provided by the RCMP or by local police forces, can be slow or non-existent.

The Senate Committee report on the security of the Canadian border also came to the conclusion that revenue collection is getting in the way of security. The Committee says there is too much emphasis on the collection of duties and taxes at the border and not enough on security.

In 26 recommendations designed to put a greater emphasis on security at Canadian border crossings, the Senate Committee report highlights three major concerns.

Reduce the Emphasis on Revenue Collection

The Committee recommends that personal exemptions for travelers from the United States to Canada should be tripled within five years to help customs officers concentrate on security rather than "minor" revenue collection. The Committee feels the lost revenues should be considered an investment.

Give Customs Inspectors the Proper Tools

As well as arming border officers if there is not a police presence at all border crossings, the Senate Committee says the Canada Border Services Agency should upgrade the quality of data available to border officers, tighten the security level of documentation required for all people entering Canada, and change the training of border officers to emphasize security rather than tax collection.

Make New Border Infrastructure a National Priority

The Committee recommends that border crossings be redesigned to allow for reverse inspection. With reverse inspection, U.S. and Canadian border officers would switch places and operate in the other country, allowing inspections to take place before people or cargo crossed the border.