U.S. Concerned About “Alarming” Lack of Security on Canadian Border

The head of the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security committee says it’s time to consider requiring visas for Canadians entering the U.S.

While Canadians and Americans used to boast about sharing the world’s largest undefended boarder, the lax security along the 49th parallel is increasingly seen as a liability by the terrorism-wary U.S. government. A new Congress report found that border officials exercise acceptable levels of control over a mere one per cent of the 6,400-km border, a figure that Homeland Security committee chair Joe Lieberman said is “alarming.” He floated the idea of requiring Canadians entering the U.S. to carry visas, a suggestion Immigration Minister Jason Kenney immediately shot down, saying it would cause massive economic problems. Stephen Harper is heading to Washington Friday for talks with Barack Obama, and border security is expected to be high on the agenda.