Canada-U.S. border talks raise privacy concern
Privacy and information sharing are a concern for Canadians who wrote to the government about border talks with the U.S., according to a report released by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird Monday. Canada and the U.S. are in negotiations over ways to integrate border security and ease trade access, though many of the details aren’t public yet.
Two reports released Monday summarize public consultations on the perimeter security talks. One is on implementing the agreement and the other on aligning regulations between the two countries.
Business and trade groups were concerned about streamlining and speeding up approval for goods and wanted to align screening procedures for travellers between the two countries, the perimeter agreement report says They also want expanded pre-clearance programs.
Individual Canadians were more concerned about maintaining privacy rights. The report says they voiced concerns about information sharing with the U.S. government.
The report notes the government got detailed submissions from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Canada's privacy commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, on information sharing and integrated law enforcement with the U.S.
Baird says Canadian sovereignty cannot and will not be compromised in the talks. "These ideas and concerns have been front and centre in our thinking as we are pursuing talks with our American counterparts," he said. "If we want to ensure cross-border law enforcement activities and other programs, they have to respect the legal and the privacy rights of Canadians. That is incredibly important. I think it’s important to all of us across the political spectrum."
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano met with Public Safety Minister Vic Toews earlier this month to discuss the agreement.
The talks focused in part on privacy issues and the role each country's privacy commissioners would play in making sure they share information in an appropriate way, Toews said at the time.
The meeting also looked at the next generation of joint operations, Napolitano said, pointing to the example of putting law enforcement officials on each other's ships. "Obviously these are areas that require a bit of fleshing out, but are evidence of our mutual intent that this border not be thickened, but that it be made more efficient," she said.
They also announced an upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama this fall. No specific date was announced.
Canada-U.S. border talks raise privacy concern
Privacy and information sharing are a concern for Canadians who wrote to the government about border talks with the U.S., according to a report released by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird Monday. Canada and the U.S. are in negotiations over ways to integrate border security and ease trade access, though many of the details aren’t public yet.
Two reports released Monday summarize public consultations on the perimeter security talks. One is on implementing the agreement and the other on aligning regulations between the two countries.
Business and trade groups were concerned about streamlining and speeding up approval for goods and wanted to align screening procedures for travellers between the two countries, the perimeter agreement report says They also want expanded pre-clearance programs.
Individual Canadians were more concerned about maintaining privacy rights. The report says they voiced concerns about information sharing with the U.S. government.
The report notes the government got detailed submissions from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Canada's privacy commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, on information sharing and integrated law enforcement with the U.S.
Baird says Canadian sovereignty cannot and will not be compromised in the talks. "These ideas and concerns have been front and centre in our thinking as we are pursuing talks with our American counterparts," he said. "If we want to ensure cross-border law enforcement activities and other programs, they have to respect the legal and the privacy rights of Canadians. That is incredibly important. I think it’s important to all of us across the political spectrum."
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano met with Public Safety Minister Vic Toews earlier this month to discuss the agreement.
The talks focused in part on privacy issues and the role each country's privacy commissioners would play in making sure they share information in an appropriate way, Toews said at the time.
The meeting also looked at the next generation of joint operations, Napolitano said, pointing to the example of putting law enforcement officials on each other's ships. "Obviously these are areas that require a bit of fleshing out, but are evidence of our mutual intent that this border not be thickened, but that it be made more efficient," she said.
They also announced an upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama this fall. No specific date was announced.
Canada-U.S. border talks raise privacy concern
