Wednesday, May 16, 2007

CBSA watching cross-border travel by air, automobile, and marine

 Faith St. John is communications  manager  for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on the west coast. Faith said training underway imminently for Canadian border guards to be deployed in the fall (with the Beretta Storm 9mm handgun) to fulfill the announcement of the federal government this winter. In Budget 2006, the Government of Canada provided $101 million over two years to begin the process of arming CBSA officers and eliminating work-alone sites.

 The total funding earmarked for the Arming of CBSA officers and doubling up officers at work alone sites is $1 billion over 10 years. Ongoing annual funding totals $126.3 million. This initiative will establish an armed presence at Canadian land and marine Ports of Entry by arming and training 4,400 existing officers, including those performing enforcement functions in-land; Hire 400 new officers, who will be trained and armed, to address all work-alone situations; (when fully implemented, the total of armed officers [existing + new] will be of 4,800).

The CBSA is on track with its plans to begin arming the officers. "We are currently working with the RCMP to develop a comprehensive arming training program tailored to the duties, responsibilities and work environment of CBSA officers." Many policies will have to be developed and revised. The policies currently under discussion include, but are not limited to: the use of force and the use of sidearms; the wearing of protective and defensive equipment; the safe transportation and storage of sidearms and other defensive tools; and the reporting and investigation of use of force incidents.

"Throughout the implementation process, we are consulting with key stakeholders, including union officials," said St. John. The arming of border services officers and the elimination of work-alone sites will provide greater protection to CBSA officers at the border, and to those engaged in specialized enforcement activities within Canada. Security at the border will be increased since CBSA officers will be trained and equipped to intervene and deal with situations where they are not currently in a position to respond.

"The introduction of sidearms will provide an additional tool for officers to protect themselves, their colleagues and the travelling public. The CBSA is committed to ensuring that this initiative is implemented properly, safely, and without undue delay," said Derek Mellon, CBSA media liaison in Ottawa. 

Armed officers will be able to respond to a broader range of situations before involving police response The first group of armed officers will be in the field by August 2007. By March 2008, between 250 and 300 officers will be fully trained and carrying arms. "We are currently reviewing and examining opportunities to compress the initial estimated timeframe of the initiative," said Faith.

In addition to sidearms, Faith also discussed dealing with the longest unprotected border in the world, and was forthcoming about the improved design of the NEXUS  program. The CBSA worked with US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) to design a program to expedite border clearance processes for low risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States.  A NEXUS card is an approved alternative to the US passport requirements.
 
St. John said the NEXUS program uses advanced technology to verify a person's identify - NEXUS Air uses iris biometrics and NEXUS Highway uses digital fingerprints to verify that the person presenting themselves for entry is the same one who has been pre-approved to enter Canada and the United States. The usual procedures still apply around declarations and duty, "except you are approved to take a faster route through customs," a Nexus route.
 
The three seperate programs:  NEXUS Air, NEXUS Highway, and NEXUS Marine have recently been amalgmated into one program - NEXUS. The Nexus system applies now on the highways, the marine entries (done via  telephone approval), and the original Nexus air service, which began in Vancouver. The cost is $80 CDN or $50 US for five years  and is open to Canadian and US citizens and permanent residents.
 
Air mode was orignally in Vancouver  and is now available at Toronto's Pearson Airport.  It will be coming soon to: Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, Edmonton International Airport, Calgary International Airport, Winnipeg International Airport, and Halifax International Airport.
 
Nexus is offered at airports where they have US pre-clearance, clearing US customs in Canada before departing to the USA. Nexus has come to be considered the best alternative to passports and everybody is agreed it will work, "It was a joint initiative so of course we consulted closely."  For more information on NEXUS, or to become a member, visit www.nexus.gc.ca
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