http://thesuburban.com/content.jsp?sid=19171688531635913670954272551&ctid=10 00000&cnid=1012250
The border aint easy By P. A. Sévigny, Special to The Suburban Border patrol agents can now access all of Canadas arrest records. Over the next few weeks, thousands of Canadians are in for a hard time as they try to head south for their vacations. Whether they have a criminal record or not, American border patrol agents can access all of Canadas arrest records on their computer databases, and they are using those records to screen each and every entry into the States. Its sad, said Outremont businessman Francois Pilon. My people have been here for a long time. Were a part of this continent, too, and this is no way to treat a friend and a neighbour. More than 20 years ago, when Pilon was working security at the Olympic Stadium, he tried to break up a fight and was charged with assault for his trouble. For lack of evidence, the charges were thrown out of court and he soon forgot about the incident. Twenty years later, when asked about his record at the border on his way to New York, he said he didnt have one. When threatened with arrest for giving false information, he finally realized that they were referring to the stadium incident. After a new search on a criminal database proved Pilon had never been convicted of any crime, he was finally allowed to go, but not before being told that he would have to get the Mounties to clear his record. What record? asked Pilon. I have no record. Ive never been convicted of any kind of offense and now Im treated like some kind of criminal every time I cross the border. Peter Kernan had a similar experience. While driving his 83-year-old mother to a family wedding in Vermont, a customs agent near the Frelighsberg, Quebec, border crossing ran his license through her computer, put a hand on her pistol and asked him to step into the office. That was the start of a very bad day, said the middle-aged businessman. When asked if he had ever been in trouble with the police, Kernan, like Pilon, answered Not that I know of. Well, we know better, answered the agent. Kernans problems began 17 years ago, when Doris Lussier, a disgruntled tenant being evicted from one of Kernans buildings, went to the police and accused Kernan of having beaten her up. Kernan first learned about the charge when, early one morning, a bailiff showed up and ordered him to the police station to be arrested for assault. Once police took his picture and fingerprints, they told him to go home until further notice. After four court appearances and $2,400 in legal fees, a judge threw the case out of court for lack of evidence, but only after he told Lussier to stop wasting everyones time. Kernan, like Pilon, forgot about the incident. Seventeen years later, Kernans mother was in tears while Kernan tried to explain he was guilty of nothing more than a few parking tickets. Its incredible, he said. The more you protest, the worse it gets. They just get real quiet, put their hand on their gun and look at you as if youre Osama on the run. While spokesmen on both sides of the border say that its all business as usual, Chief Ron Smith of the American Customs and Border Patrol did mention that new technology as well as new protocols were being put in place to improve border screening facilities. While terrorists are always our top priority, we check everybody out. said Smith. Weve got a number of different databases to work with, but we always start with the initial arrest files. As far as a lot of Canadians are concerned, the shared files are the worst because theyre drawn from the RCMPs national database, which includes its FPS (Finger Print Service). As anyone who has ever been arrested knows, once they take your picture and your fingerprints, youre in the system and its all for real. Police send the file to the RCMP, who administer the database for the entire nation. While many blame the Bush administrations new W.H.T.I. (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) for their troubles at the border, both Canadian and American spokesmen said that file sharing has been going on between the two countries for years. Unofficial sources report that American and Canadian security forces first agreed to swap files during the famous 1985 Shamrock summit when Brian Mulroney met Ronald Reagan in Quebec City. While American security interests were concerned about Canada being used as a terrorist safe-house, Canadians were concerned about mid-western American kids using the low Canadian dollar as an excuse to cross the border for a cheap party. As a result, an American D.U.I. (driving under the influence) conviction is still sufficient cause to be refused entry into Canada, while any kind of felony conviction (except a D.U.I. arrest) is enough to refuse a Canadian entry into the United States. While American border guards use the primary fingerprint file as their first screening tool, further investigation will lead them to a second data base. Smith said if your name is on that one, chances are you will be told to turn around and go home. This file is called the National Crime Index and it is a matter of public record. Anyone convicted of any crime, be it shoplifting or murder one, will be found on that index and barred from any kind of entry into the U.S. Only a special American government waiver can get you in, but that will cost you $265 US per year. Its nothing more than a cash grab, said Ronald Lefebvre, a retired RCMP officer who now manages International Fingerprinting Services of Canada Ltd. Over two million Canadians have some kind of a record and every one of them has to pay almost $300 CDN if they want to go to the States. Do the math! The good news is that any Canadian, arrested yet never convicted of any crime, can ask the police to have the record and prints wiped off the RCMPs fingerprint file. Unfortunately, due to the Bush administrations new travel policies, the bad news is that within a year, every Canadian traveling to the States will now require a passport. As a result, both the RCMP and the governments passport office are swamped with requests for passports and assorted security files. It now takes up to seven months to have your record erased and, even if never convicted, American officials still accept nothing but an RCMP document to clear your name. Chief Smith said that border officials are well aware of the problems being created by the database, ..but its up to the people in the field to use their own common sense. However, as tempers get short and the time spent crossing the border stretches into hours, Canadians did get something out of this situation. Paris Hilton cannot come to Canada without a special ministers permit. 2007-07-11 12:38:14 By -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. 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