http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/inter...=international

TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian Senate report released Wednesday said customs agents should carry weapons like their U.S. counterparts to prevent terror threats, and blasted Ottawa and Washington for not doing more to secure the shared border.

The arming of the Canadian border agents has long been opposed by the government.

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Canadians are currently allowed to import up to $600 in duty-free goods from the United States if they have been outside of the country for at least a week. The Senate committee is calling on Ottawa to increase the limit to $2,000 by 2010, to free up customs agents to focus on potential threats to security rather than acting as tax collectors.

^

It might not be a bad idea to have a few high powered assault type weapons locked up for emergencies but arming every CBSA and CCRA agent would be just plain wrong. All of the guns would just raise the stakes in an already dangerous game. Didn't anybody see Bowling for Columbine???

Personal body armor and perhaps pepper spray or tazers used for personal defence of the agents might be a better and safer use of funds. I'd be interested in hearing from the Customs agents on the board how they would feel about carrying guns!

DF

But tax collection is the #1 priority of all our governments. How very UnCanadian of the Senate to use this logic. But seriously it's about time. ^

Long overdue, especially considering the number of terrorist threats that have been successfully carried out due to the lack of munitions on the part of customs inspectors.

Uh, C$750, actually.

What a ridiculous conclusion. When I worked at the border I never felt threatened or unsafe and was very happy that we didn't have guns...and that was at Queenston Bridge. In Alberta it was not even a topic of occasional discussion even though we seized nearly a gun a day Having guns just raises the stakes. This has been a long-standing non-issue and they should promptly shelve this nonsense. Officers now carry pepper spray, have body armour and take self-defence courses. Plenty IMHO. Oh, and given some of the people that work at the border I would be a bit more nervous knowing there are guns there!!

As for de-emphasizing duty collection goes this is a positive. I thought it was insane to have to collect $3.48 for a 12 pack of beer - give it up and focus on what's important!

^

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/...tml#P181_22269

After each absence of seven days or more
You can claim up to CAN$750 worth of goods without paying any duties. With the exception of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, you do not need to have the goods with you when you arrive. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, only a partial exemption will apply to cigarettes, tobacco sticks, and manufactured tobacco. You may have to pay a special duty on these products.

BTW, there's more info on CBSA, including the 1069 firearms it seized for the year ending 31 Mar, here:

http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archiv.../15/c2312.html

BTW, anyone other than resident civil servants know this was National Public Service Week?

This being an AP release, they're probably giving it, in round figures, as USD.

From what I have read, and seen reported on TV news, "Canada" has suggested nothing of the kind. In fact, "Canada", in the form of Deputy PM "landslide" Annie, has resisted and continues to say the Government [i.e. "Canada"] will not be arming its border guards/customs officers. This is only a recommendation of a Senate committee, and we know what happens in the Red House.

Surely the element that affects us here most is the recommendation that the per trip exemption be raised to C2K$.

This review was partially brought about by an incident at a small, rural border BC crossing. I believe it to be the Eastport.

It is a one person border shack, isolated area, nearest backup is 45+min away. Their were shots fired at the border shack, the customs officer took cover and called for help. The call was answered in the Ops Comm Centre in Kelowna BC where it was then dispatched to the nearest RCMP detachment, this is a cumbersome process at the best of times, with many calls being delayed for whatever reason.

From the time of the call to the time of back up arriving, the border guard could easily have been killed ir injured. In this particular case he was not physically harmed.

Border guards at land crossings are open to serious harm IMO, they deal with all types of people and situations. A nasty situation does not normally come with a warning that gives time for armed back up to arrive. Personally, I think the guards at land crossings should be armed, like the police, one hopes they will never have to fire their weapon.
The other side of this, I find it odd that the border guards/customs officers at YVR where their bullet proof vests in the customes hall, where all the pax have come off a plane, and they were screened for weapons prior to boarding. The vests are hot heavy and sweaty, not nice to where.

Have a look at page 21 on the Senate report, (pdf) released today. It reccomends a $2000 allowance for LESS than a 24hr visit to the US. A welcome change!

http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/c...intjun05-e.pdf

EDIT: Replaced my non-working sarcasm detector

It was sarcasm.

=aw

They are called the police.

Canada Customs agents do not need guns