The fun continues along the worlds longest undefended border...

Dec. 6, 2002. 05:55 PM

Manley balks at idea of border 'parking lots'

WASHINGTON (CP) Canada is balking at a U.S. administration demand for a border security system that would exhaustively scrutinize every Canadian who crosses into the United States.

There is no technology available that could provide that kind of background "without fouling up the border," Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said Friday in an interview.

"It would turn Detroit into a parking lot," Manley said.

"There are truck drivers who make four crossings a day on the (Windsor-Detroit) Ambassador Bridge."

Ensuing delays could deal a hobbling blow to the Canadian economy, which depends on the United States for 85 per cent of its exports.

Manley discussed the issue Friday at the White House with Tom Ridge, the U.S. administration's nominee to head the new U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. insistence on universal screening of border-crossers, through some kind of smart-card backed by biometric identifiers such as retina scans or fingerprints, has now become the No. 1 issue between the two countries, Manley said.

"Quite frankly, we don't know how we're going to work this one out."

The U.S. Congress has passed legislation calling on President George W. Bush to come up with a new entry-exit regime along the Canada-U.S. border in two years.

Early reports that some of the Sept. 11 terrorists entered the United States through Canada have been debunked but occasionally members of the U.S. Congress will repeat the discredited reports as proof Canada's more permissive immigration laws pose a threat to the United States.

Ridge said after the meeting Congress wants a tighter entry-exit system irrespective of the veracity of those reports.

"We know that we don't look at our friends and neighbours as a source of terrorism," the former Pennsylvania governor said.

"We look at those who'd come in through your borders as a potential source of terrorism and to that end (we're) committed to enhancing security in both countries, while at the same time continuing to facilitate commerce," Ridge said.

This would not be the first time Congress has asked for more detailed information about Canadian border-crossers.

U.S. legislation, referred to as Section 110 of a congressional immigration bill, would have required every Canadian entering the United States to fill out a lengthy form.

There are 200 million border crossings every year. A study suggested the two minutes needed for everyone to fill out the form would lead to backlogs several kilometres long that would take hours to clear.

Intense lobbying efforts by Canadian and provincial governments, northern U.S. states and large corporations dependent on ''just-in-time" delivery of goods succeeded in killing the legislation two years ago.

U.S. anti-terrorism law dictates a comprehensive new entry-exit system has to be in place by Jan. 1, 2005.

"A system that tries to list every U.S. and Canadian citizen crossing the border in both directions, I don't believe it can be done," Manley said.

"I just don't think it's worth it."

Manley, who heads the cabinet team directing Canada's counter-terrorism effort, said he would prefer a system that targets high-risk border-crossers who are foreign nationals.

Any system that would include U.S. and Canadian citizens "would be unworkable," he said.

He and Ridge have been discussing U.S. proposals for border screening that could include fingerprinting and photographing Canadian citizens trying to enter the United States who are deemed suspicious by U.S. authorities.

Manley has already told Ridge that Canada would not accept U.S. fingerprinting of its citizens. Canada is also concerned the wide range of options the Bush administration is still examining may lead to a harsher entry-exit system than originally envisioned.

Standing beside Manley outside the White House, Ridge acknowledged the pending nature of the entry-exit system has prompted "some legitimate concern." But he said the two governments believe they can both enhance security and expedite commerce.

"We think we can get it done. And again we had some initial conversations as a way to go but we know we still have quite a bit more work to do in that regard," Ridge said.

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