[Infowarrior] - Sovereignty RIP? USG officers have powers to make arrests in Canada

[Richard Forno]

(Again, something highly controversial to the domestic population is buried in a must-pass spending bill.  Of course, that's the whole idea, to keep such things away from public eye, because in a modern democracy, public debate is frowned upon.  My Canadian friends are apoplectic this morning.  --rick)


Cross-border policing provokes sovereignty worries

U.S. officers have powers to make arrests in Canada

By Mark Gollom, CBC News

Posted: Jul 11, 2012 5:27 AM ET
Last Updated: Jul 11, 2012 11:05 AM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/07/10/cross-border-policing-integration-sovereignty.html?cmp=rss


When the Conservative government passed its controversial omnibus budget bill last month, it included new powers for certain U.S. law enforcement agents that critics say could have ramifications for Canadian sovereignty.

The Integrated Cross Border Law Enforcement Operations Act now makes it possible for American officers to cross the border into Canada where, as the act states, they have "the same power to enforce an act of Parliament as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

This means they'll be armed and have the powers to arrest suspects in Canadian territory.

Now, small crews, made up of Canadian and U.S. officers specially designated and trained for cross-border policing, can go back and forth across the maritime border, all the while subject to the laws of the country they are in.

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Although the law deals with Canadian and U.S. waters, some are raising concerns that the next phase of the plan, a land-based version of integrated policing, could be more problematic.

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/07/10/cross-border-policing-integration-sovereignty.html?cmp=rss

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Just because i'm near the punchbowl doesn't mean I'm also drinking from it.