US-Canada Passport plan

[yogib37 3]

Opposition grows to US-Canada border passport plan

By David Ortiz 58 minutes ago

Five Canadian provinces and six Northeast U.S. states agreed on Saturday to fight U.S. legislation that would require passports or sophisticated ID cards to enter the United States from Canada.

The new rules to take effect from 2008 -- aimed at tightening security after the September 11 attacks -- would create a bureaucratic nightmare, damage trade and shake up border life, said the U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

"The impact would just be devastating," Quebec Premier Jean Charest told the annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.

"This needs further thought before it's implemented. We need to bring a real sense of urgency to this," he said.

Porous in vast stretches and often invisible, America's 5,500-mile border with Canada is drawing closer scrutiny after President Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed in March to work together on border security.

Residents in some towns on the world's longest undefended border have long entered the United States with little more than a wave of a hand or a flash of a driver's license.

Under rules written by the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments designed to implement legislation passed by Congress in 2004, passports or credit card-sized PASS cards with biometric features will be required for anyone crossing into the United States from Canada by land starting on January 1, 2008.

Senior officials from the five Canadian provinces and U.S. border states said the rules could drive a wedge between border communities that are culturally and economically entwined, and strain the world's biggest trading relationship by slowing the $1.1 billion in trade flowing each day across the border.

More than 300,000 people travel between the United States and Canada each day. Only about 20 percent of U.S. citizens and 40 percent of Canadians hold passports, which cost nearly $100. The PASS cards would cost about half that price.

In a draft statement released at the end of the two-day conference, the governors or senior officials from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, and the premiers of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island said they would urge the U.S. Congress to delay implementation of the law.

They also agreed to explore other options that would have less negative economic and social impact. Only two states sent governors, although all sent representatives to the conference. Four of the five Canadian provinces sent premiers.

Vermont Gov. James Douglas said the new regulations would make daily life much more difficult along the border where children have long played sports in both countries.

Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri said: "We shouldn't be thickening the border, what we should be doing is working together, the two nations, to protect North America."

"I think a lot of Americans don't fully understand or appreciate what is at stake here," he said.

[Cristy 4]

Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri said: "We shouldn't be thickening the border, what we should be doing is working together, the two nations, to protect North America."

I agree.

[almaty 19]

Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri said: "We shouldn't be thickening the border, what we should be doing is working together, the two nations, to protect North America."

I agree.

i also agree..makes too much sense for politicians

[Mirorgate 0]

Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri said: "We shouldn't be thickening the border, what we should be doing is working together, the two nations, to protect North America."

I agree.

i also agree..makes too much sense for politicians

And contrary to their Isolationist ideals of "Homeland Security"

[iceyspots 0]

man.... I can think of the chaos ... imagine all these drunk 19 year olds going to canada and getting drunk and finding out they need a passport lol

[terri o'neale 0]

Canada? But not Mexico? Why?

[Reba 2]

Mexico too. Its everywhere really. But up til now, by immigration law, Canadians have not been required to show a passport to enter the US (tho for the past oh, 10 years or so, its been recommended). With the upcoming legislation that would require Canadians to show passports, Canada, and some states in the US, are saying this will be extremely detrimental to the economy, tourism, and trade between the countries.

Me, I just figure if a passport is required, get a dang passport. If you can afford to shuffle off to Buffalo for lunch, you can afford the fee for the passport.

If Mexicans are not currently legally required to show passports when visiting the US, then they soon will be, just like everyone else.

[Leafgal 3]

Well Reba I sort of agree, I mean just get the dang thing and be done with it.

The only crappy thing is getting someone who qalifies to sign for you, which as I am finding is a pain in the neck cause the person I need to sign it and I have both moved in the last year. I am sure eventually we will meet up so I can get my passport application signed and sent in ha ha. It would be better if you could just renew it, but here in Canada you can't you have to do the whole process over again every 5 years, grrr. Oh well, grin and bear it right

[Reba 2]

I never had a problem with that. My Uncle is a lawyer

Your family doctor can be a guarantor can't they? It just needs to be someone certified whose known you for more than 2 years doesn't it? Even someone who is a certified accountant of some sort can do it.

[Leafgal 3]

Reba, you must have been away from Canada for a while I don't have a doctor no one taking new patients in my area. I keep trying but that won't help, I have a g/f who can just have to hook up with her and that is proving difficult with us both being so busy and living so far from each other now.

[ChristinaM 0]

Oh for crying out loud!!!

You'd think that if you were a regular crosser of the Canadian border, it would be no trouble to get a $50 PassCard and easy enough to carry the dang thing round like your drivers licence.

If you're not a regular visitor, then get a passport like the rest of us have to do. The Brits need a passport to get into Europe, or even Eire.

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

[Leafgal 3]

I will get a passport cause that is the best solution to me as soon as I get a guarantor to sign it for me then I will be set for 5 years till the US/Canadian gov't come up with as far as an ID Card.

[j&js 0]

Actually while you do technically need a passport to travel around Europe (if you are European) just going through the EU passport line means yours will never be checked!

I understand the idea that those who live near the border don't want a lot of hassle going back and forth and I do sympathsize with them BUT if you make borders lax for those reasons, it becomes much easier for people to sneak across and if a nation is having trouble with illegal immigration they have to do something about it... I just think a real security/ID check at every border is a good start...

[Leafgal 3]

Actually while you do technically need a passport to travel around Europe (if you are European) just going through the EU passport line means yours will never be checked!

I understand the idea that those who live near the border don't want a lot of hassle going back and forth and I do sympathsize with them BUT if you make borders lax for those reasons, it becomes much easier for people to sneak across and if a nation is having trouble with illegal immigration they have to do something about it... I just think a real security/ID check at every border is a good start...

Don't get me wrong they should not be lax at the border, I mean I am moving to the US so I have an interest in it being secure as well. I just know for Canada (not sure about other countries) it is a drag having to redo your passport instead of being able to renew it every 5 years. And I am sure next time it will be even harder. I am personally opting to get a card that will be easier for me once this passport I get expires.

[terri o'neale 0]

Wow...I had no idea that getting a passport was such a big deal in Canada. In America, you go to the post office with the application, your birth certificate, a picture ID, two pics for the passport and an exorbitant fee. Then in 4 to 8 weeks you have a passport. And it is good for 10 years...renewing it is simple too. I'm sorry it is so hard for you. Wonder what Mexico goes through?