I'm in no way disparaging our neighbors to the north, whom, as a country and as individuals, I have a great deal of respect.

But (you KNEW the "but" was coming)...

I've made 7 trips up & back to Ottawa from IAD between November and yesterday. Yesterday's trip was different because I had to fly to YUL and drive. I finally noticed a couple of really strange security and immigration practices, the likes of which the TSA and DHS do not even do:

1. In the customs and immigration area, the passport control people sitting behind the desks wear body armor! We're not talking about immigration & customs people working at the entrance to a Canadian Embassy in a really bad country in a really bad neighborhood. These people are inside secure areas in major internal Canadian airports where everyone arriving has been screened for weapons of some type???

2. During the departure ritual last night, I lost count when my boarding pass had been scanned for the 6th or 7th time, including after I had cleared U.S. Customs & Immigration and was about to walk through the doors to the gate area. Then, in the gate area, my name and about 10 other names were called to go to the departure gate for ANOTHER document check and BP scan. This doesn't even count the only BP scan that matters to anyone -- when you are actually boarding the airplane.

My boggled mind is crying out for a simple explanation

It hides the beer gut.

C'est les deux solitudes mon vieux.

These are the same people that run around Toronto in the middle of May wearing sweatshirts over shorts. Welcome to Canada.

Seriously, what's up with that?

Are these individuals armed? If so, then it's probably just part of the uniform. If not, well that is odd.

They were all sitting down, so I couldn't tell. I would argue that armed customs people deep inside a secure area of an airport creates more problems than it solves (if there are any problems to begin with). Having a readily-accessible armory inside a nearby command post would make more sense.

Up North, I guess it's "Security Theatre" rather than "Security Theater."

I would argue, from a LE mind set, if I am armed, and in uniform, I will be wearing my vest. But, again, we're not sure if these individuals were armed to begin with.

Not front-line staff at the airports, at least not yet. Land borders, marine ports, criminal investigations and intelligence are armed (or in the process of being armed). At the airports it's just OC spray and a baton. They put out an RFP on MERX (site for public tenders) a few months ago to study the issue of arming at the airports.

Well, then I would have to agree with FliesWay2Much OP. Wearing body armor deep within the secure area of an airport, when you are not armed, seems odd. IMO.

I'm not sure how secure it is. Officers at the airports see passengers with guns all the time (most legally obtained and transported), not to mention switchblades and any manner of prohibited weapon. It can only be considered secure if screening at point of departure was conducted meticulously and if passengers are not able to access their checked items until they leave the area. Most here have no faith in TSA's screening procedures; I have less faith in security screening on flights from Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan and any number of other highly corrupt countries.

I have mixed feelings on both the vests and the push toward arming officers.

Bolding mine

That brings up another point. Were they bullet proof vests, or slash resistant vests? All I know is that mine is heavy and hot. But it's better than the alternative.

Well, we are (or at least we were) at war with Canada you know......

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109370/

After accessing checked baggage, I assume?

I don't think you are being fair to those countries; how could you have less faith in them than in the TSA? At the very least it should be equal distrust.

Please expand; it seems somewhat silly to me. Do CBSA officers carry off duty? All have training in weapons, right?

Aren't they all?

And least it isn't 'hot and heavy'!

Blame Canada!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYMJnO9LBQ