Border comments spark diplomatic kerfuffle

[minnew 4]

Border comments spark diplomatic kerfuffle

Ottawa was rushing to defend its border security on Tuesday amid a diplomatic scuffle with the U.S., which erupted after Washington's homeland security chief suggested that the 9-11 terrorists entered the U.S. through Canada.

Video: http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/abc/home/...A_Border_090421

21/04/2009 7:50:26 PM

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made the comments during a media interview earlier this week, much to the chagrin of Canadians on both sides of the border.

In recent years, Ottawa has invested a great deal of effort into dispelling perceptions among Americans that Canada's border is an easy entry point for terrorists planning attacks on U.S. soil.

"Unfortunately, misconceptions arise on something as fundamental as where the 9-11 terrorists came from," said Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador in Washington.

"As the 9-11 commission reported in 2004, all of the 9-11 terrorists arrived in the United States from outside North America. They flew to major U.S. airports. They entered the U.S. with documents issued by the United States government and no 9-11 terrorists came from Canada."

Later, Napolitano's staff attempted to tamp down the controversy by blaming the comments on a simple misunderstanding, said Wilson, who was the keynote speaker at the Border Trade Alliance meeting in Washington Tuesday.

"Her comment from her people is that she misunderstood," Wilson said, adding that he was planning a personal meeting with Napolitano in the near future.

The furor began when Napolitano was asked to clarify statements she had made about equal treatment for the Mexican and Canadian borders, despite the fact that a flood of illegal immigrants and a massive drug war are two serious issues on the southern border.

"Yes, Canada is not Mexico, it doesn't have a drug war going on, it didn't have 6,000 homicides that were drug-related last year," she said.

"Nonetheless, to the extent that terrorists have come into our country or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it's been across the Canadian border. There are real issues there."

When asked if she was referring to the 9-11 terrorists, Napolitano added: "Not just those but others as well."

However, Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan downplayed the comments and said that Napolitano is well aware that Canada was not the source of the 9-11 terrorists.

"We spoke about it back in March, and we were sharing a chuckle at the fact that the urban myth does circulate," he told CTV's Power Play.

"Ms. Napolitano understood quite clearly, then and now, that none of the September 11 terrorists came through Canada, as the 9-11 Commission found."

Still, that positive outlook wasn't shared by other Canadian officials.

On Tuesday afternoon, RCMP Commissioner William Elliot expressed frustration with the comments during an interview on CTV's Power Play.

"I was somewhat surprised and disappointed," he said, adding he hopes the misconception has been cleared up.

"I understand and am happy to hear that she has issued a statement acknowledging that that didn't happen."

But Thomas d'Aquino, president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, decried Napolitano's comments on Tuesday.

"I am a longstanding friend and ally of the United States, but sometimes failures in our two-way dialogue cause me to shake my head in sadness and dismay," he said in a press release.

"The claim that some of the 9/11 terrorists entered the United States from Canada is, quite simply, a myth - an urban legend that began with a handful of erroneous media reports in the days following the terrorist strikes."

With files from The Canadian Press

Seriously?.... How many times do we have to go over this? The secretary of DHS? How about focusing on the southern border! *Sings....Blame Canada...Blame Canada..*

[trailmix 77]

Where exactly do they get the people that run Homeland Security?

[Jenni and Bo 0]

/facepalm

[July09Bride 1]

I have to tell you... she WAS the governor of Arizona. With the presidential election of 2008, Arizonans figured they couldn't lose! They'd either have an Arizonan in the White House OR Napolitano would be gone. They, unfortunately, were hoping more for the latter, and that's what they got! But, now the problem is, she's in charge of DHS. Oyyyyyy.... She's a real treat to have a round. Cant'cha tell??? Defintely not one of Arizona's most shining stars, that's for sure!

[Krikit 1,165]

Whether they came across the Canadian border or not, it would have been the American CBP officers who let them in.

Edited April 22, 2009 by Krikit

[Sprailenes 47]

Its so easy to blame others.

They're the ones who let the guys in.

[Emancipation 2]

Whether they came across the Canadian border or not, it would have been the American CBP officers who let them in.

ding ding ding ding ding!! we have a winner!!

Holy flip do we have to do this again?

*And if I'm understanding the US gov. correctly this is an uninformed Democrat no? So it would appear that the Republicans are not alone in their misinformation re: canada..

*sigh.. help us all!

[domegirl1978 1]

You would think people would actually think before they speak. Especially people in govt. but hey, that doesn't usually happen does it.

I was in the U.S. on Sept. 11th down in Florida and shockingly enough, found out that one of the terrorists had not only been at Embry-Riddle Flight School at the same time as my cousin in 1997 but then also was living 15 minutes from my aunt and uncles house as of the year 2000. The U.S. govt had given him a visa to not only go to the flight school but issued this creep another visa to enter in 2000.

Its defintely easier to pass the buck and the blame. Just don't pass it over to Canada if its not true

[thetreble 19]

We have heard this stuff over and over again for the past 8 years now. I think it's more embarrassing for her, than anything, as we all can recognize the truth because we have the facts.

And how you can treat the Canadian and Mexican border the same is sort of beyond my comprehension. I mean, they both require different things really. They require some of the same, of course, as well but you get my drift.

[trailmix 77]

Whether they came across the Canadian border or not, it would have been the American CBP officers who let them in.

ding ding ding ding ding!! we have a winner!!

Holy flip do we have to do this again?

*And if I'm understanding the US gov. correctly this is an uninformed Democrat no? So it would appear that the Republicans are not alone in their misinformation re: canada..

*sigh.. help us all!

I think it's really interesting that you know this person is a Democrat Em! I don't even think about parties, it never even occurred to me - but I kind of thought that was a Canadian thing? I don't know, did anyone else wonder if she is a Democrat or Republican?

[thetreble 19]

Not me. Affiliations to political parties don't play a role in stupidity in my opinion.

[sara..... 371]

mmm wait i thought they were here on student visa?

sara

[thetreble 19]

mmm wait i thought they were here on student visa?

sara

No, none of them were. That was all mis-information.

[trailmix 77]

mmm wait i thought they were here on student visa?

sara

No, none of them were. That was all mis-information.

Wonder how this topic would go over in OT-OT

[Krikit 1,165]

I think it's really interesting that you know this person is a Democrat Em! I don't even think about parties, it never even occurred to me - but I kind of thought that was a Canadian thing? I don't know, did anyone else wonder if she is a Democrat or Republican?

I just assumed they were Democrat because that's who's in power right now.