Report Canada Security Net Full Of Holes (moved from ATSNN), page 1

"Canada takes security seriously,� �we are fed up with secrecy,� said Liberal party Senator Colin Kenny, I met with Prime minister Martin last night who said �keep the pressure on, we have got to fix these things� Kenny had told the Associated Press by phone on Wednesday from Ottawa. The government has promised to spend $6.2 billion over five years to improve the security at 89 federal airports. A 315-page report released by the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defense. Claims that Canada�s 160 land and maritime border crossings only have one person at the posts. But critics have said little has improved and call the report ineffectual and alarmist as it comes from the politically appointed upper house of parliament and note that the Canadian forces have taken a budget cut of 30% from 1998 and 2000.
Wesley Wark, a professor at the University of Toronto and is one of Canada's leading experts on security and intelligence, said the committee is hoping to keep the momentum going on security. "They need to paint things in slightly alarmist hues in order to grab the Canadian public" Wark said.

story.news.yahoo.com
Report: Canada Security Net Full Of Holes
By BETH DUFF-BROWN, Associated Press Writer

Parliament Hill

TORONTO - Canada's security net is full of holes, with most border crossings guarded by a lone staffer and airport security so lax that missing security badges and uniforms recently turned up for sale on eBay. A new Senate security report calls for reform, a boost in defense spending and improved cooperation with the United States. Canadians have relied too long on luck to avoid a terrorist attack, it says, scolding: "Unfortunately, luck is notoriously untrustworthy." The 315-page report by the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defense, the first released under the year-old government of Prime Minister Paul Martin, said most of Canada's 160 land and maritime border crossings have only one person at the posts. "The potential damage to the Canadian economy and other consequences that would come with allowing a terrorist to infiltrate the U.S. through Canada are massive," the report said. Securing the 4,000-mile border is paramount, to prevent terrorist attacks and protect some $1.4 billion in trade each day between the North American neighbors.
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As the article mentions uniforms ands badges for sale on eBay. LOL, Our coastguard is a joke and I don�t mean the fine people involved I mean funding and equipment that they have at their disposal. I seriously believe we do need tighter security but to protect Canada not the fear filled warmongering American government. I think if the government used their heads for a change and looked at this as an economical stimulus within certain industry's and technologies. It could turnout to be a good thing, after all Canada was once known for it's cutting edge technologies, it could do the same in the security industries.

[edit on 18/12/2004 by Sauron]