MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 9, 2010

North American perimeter security a dangerous idea then and now, says Council of Canadians

Ottawa -- A "New Border Vision" for Canada-U.S. security cooperation, reported as imminent in news stories today, is neither new nor will it make Canadian borders safer, says the Council of Canadians. The grassroots social justice organization is demanding full disclosure of the proposal before it is signed by the Harper government.

"We've gone down this road before -- it was called the Security and Prosperity Partnership -- and North Americans rejected it," says Stuart Trew, trade campaigner with the Council of Canadians. "Painting an old idea Tory blue and removing Mexico from the equation doesn't hide what a tired and dangerous idea perimeter security is for Canada and the United States."

Since 2001, U.S. security demands of its two neighbours persistently intruded on the privacy and real security needs of the public. From the hastily passed Anti Terrorism Act through the controversial Canadian Passenger Protect "no-fly" list to the current Secure Flight legislation in the House of Commons (Bill C-42), harmonization efforts have violated civil liberties while not improving trade flows between Canada and the United States in the slightest.

"Canada has armed and secured itself to the teeth to satisfy the U.S. but no new perimeter plan can bring the U.S. economy back to life. That's the real reason trade is down across the border," says Trew.

The Council of Canadians is demanding the Harper government give parliament and the public a chance to see and debate the New Border Vision before Canada signs anything. The organization encourages opposition parties to press the government on this unnecessary and invasive perimeter proposal.

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For more information:

Dylan Penner, media officer, Council of Canadians: 613.795.8685, or dpenner@canadians.org