You know what? I just don't have any access to canada.com. Once when I tried to load it I actually caught a brief glimpse of a webpage before it defaulted back to the "server not found" error message.
Canada, U.S. ink deal to let troops cross border Governments now able to ask for support in times of emergency David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Saturday, February 23, 2008
Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other's borders during an emergency, but some are questioning why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal.
Neither the Canadian government nor the Canadian Forces announced the new agreement, which was signed Feb. 14 in Texas.
The U.S. military's Northern Command, however, publicized the agreement with a statement outlining how its top officer, Gen. Gene Renuart, and Canadian Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, head of Canada Command, signed the plan.
The agreement allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other during a civil emergency.
The new agreement has been greeted with suspicion by the left wing in Canada and the right wing in the U.S.
The left-leaning Council of Canadians, which is campaigning against what it calls the increasing integration of the U.S. and Canadian militaries, is raising concerns about the deal.
"It's kind of a trend, when it comes to issues of Canada-U.S. relations and contentious issues like military integration, we see that this government is reluctant to disclose information to Canadians that is readily available on American and Mexican websites," said Stuart Trew, a researcher with the Council of Canadians.
Mr. Trew said there is potential for the agreement to militarize civilian responses to emergency incidents. He noted that work is also under way on a joint plan to protect common infrastructure such as roadways and oil pipelines.
"Are we going to see (U.S.) troops on our soil for minor potential threats to a pipeline or a road?" he asked.
Mr. Trew also noted that the U.S. military does not allow its soldiers to operate under foreign command, so there are questions about who controls American forces if they are requested for service in Canada.
"We don't know the answers because the government doesn't want to even announce the plan," he said.
But Canada Command spokesman Cmdr. David Scanlon said it will be up to civilian authorities in both countries to decide whether military assistance is requested or used.
He said the agreement is "benign" and simply sets the stage for co-operation if the two governments approve.
"But there's no agreement to allow troops to come in," he said. "It facilitates planning and co-ordination between the two militaries. The 'allow' piece is entirely up to the two governments." If U.S. forces were to come into Canada they would be under tactical control of the Canadian Forces, but still under the command of the U.S. military, Cmdr. Scanlon added.
News of the deal, and the allegation it was kept secret in Canada, is already making the rounds on left-wing blogs and Internet sites, where it is being cited as an example of the dangers of the growing integration between the two militaries.
On right-wing blogs in the U.S., it is being used as evidence of a plan for a "North American union" where foreign troops, not bound by U.S. laws, could be used by the American federal government to override regional authorities. (cont.)
"Co-operative militaries on Home Soil!" notes one website. "The next time your town has a 'national emergency,' don't be surprised if Canadian soldiers respond. And remember -- Canadian military aren't bound by posse comitatus." Posse comitatus is a U.S. law that prohibits federal troops from conducting law enforcement duties on domestic soil without approval from Congress.
Cmdr. Scanlon said there was no intent to keep the agreement secret in Canada. He noted it will be reported in the Canadian Forces' newspaper next week and that publication will be put on the Internet.
He said the actual agreement hasn't been released to the public because that requires approval from both nations. That decision has not yet been taken, he added.
Military officials on both sides of the border say such co-operation is a plus and could help speed up responses in a disaster.
"Unity of effort during bilateral support for civil support operations such as floods, forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and effects of a terrorist attack, in order to save lives, prevent human suffering and mitigate damage to property, is of the highest importance, and we need to be able to have forces that are flexible and adaptive to support rapid decision-making in a collaborative environment," Gen. Renuart said in the U.S. military news release.
In the same news release, Canadian Lt.-Gen. Dumais called the plan "an important symbol of the already strong working relationship between Canada Command and U.S. Northern Command.
The plan recognizes the role of each nation's lead federal agency for emergency preparedness, which in the United States is the Department of Homeland Security and in Canada is Public Safety Canada.
The plan facilitates the military-to-military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response, according to the news release.
Well, think of it this way - the next time New Orleans floods, the best disaster response team on the planet - with the capacity to produce enough fresh drinking water for everyone, onsite, on 6 hours notice - won't get stopped at the border.
What's weird to me is that there was no provision for this before. Not that the US would ever ask for help (see also: Katrina, as mentioned above), but having policy that expressly forbids a friendly nations' forces on your territory seems bizarre.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 04:27 am (UTC)*sad*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 04:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 05:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 05:53 am (UTC)I'm getting out of here before it snows in Toronto.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 07:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 06:20 pm (UTC)I'm more... concerned.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:09 pm (UTC)This is disturbing to me.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:20 pm (UTC)Governments now able to ask for support in times of emergency
David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, February 23, 2008
Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other's borders during an emergency, but some are questioning why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal.
Neither the Canadian government nor the Canadian Forces announced the new agreement, which was signed Feb. 14 in Texas.
The U.S. military's Northern Command, however, publicized the agreement with a statement outlining how its top officer, Gen. Gene Renuart, and Canadian Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, head of Canada Command, signed the plan.
The agreement allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other during a civil emergency.
The new agreement has been greeted with suspicion by the left wing in Canada and the right wing in the U.S.
The left-leaning Council of Canadians, which is campaigning against what it calls the increasing integration of the U.S. and Canadian militaries, is raising concerns about the deal.
"It's kind of a trend, when it comes to issues of Canada-U.S. relations and contentious issues like military integration, we see that this government is reluctant to disclose information to Canadians that is readily available on American and Mexican websites," said Stuart Trew, a researcher with the Council of Canadians.
Mr. Trew said there is potential for the agreement to militarize civilian responses to emergency incidents. He noted that work is also under way on a joint plan to protect common infrastructure such as roadways and oil pipelines.
"Are we going to see (U.S.) troops on our soil for minor potential threats to a pipeline or a road?" he asked.
Mr. Trew also noted that the U.S. military does not allow its soldiers to operate under foreign command, so there are questions about who controls American forces if they are requested for service in Canada.
"We don't know the answers because the government doesn't want to even announce the plan," he said.
But Canada Command spokesman Cmdr. David Scanlon said it will be up to civilian authorities in both countries to decide whether military assistance is requested or used.
He said the agreement is "benign" and simply sets the stage for co-operation if the two governments approve.
"But there's no agreement to allow troops to come in," he said. "It facilitates planning and co-ordination between the two militaries. The 'allow' piece is entirely up to the two governments." If U.S. forces were to come into Canada they would be under tactical control of the Canadian Forces, but still under the command of the U.S. military, Cmdr. Scanlon added.
News of the deal, and the allegation it was kept secret in Canada, is already making the rounds on left-wing blogs and Internet sites, where it is being cited as an example of the dangers of the growing integration between the two militaries.
On right-wing blogs in the U.S., it is being used as evidence of a plan for a "North American union" where foreign troops, not bound by U.S. laws, could be used by the American federal government to override regional authorities. (cont.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:20 pm (UTC)"Co-operative militaries on Home Soil!" notes one website. "The next time your town has a 'national emergency,' don't be surprised if Canadian soldiers respond. And remember -- Canadian military aren't bound by posse comitatus." Posse comitatus is a U.S. law that prohibits federal troops from conducting law enforcement duties on domestic soil without approval from Congress.
Cmdr. Scanlon said there was no intent to keep the agreement secret in Canada. He noted it will be reported in the Canadian Forces' newspaper next week and that publication will be put on the Internet.
He said the actual agreement hasn't been released to the public because that requires approval from both nations. That decision has not yet been taken, he added.
Military officials on both sides of the border say such co-operation is a plus and could help speed up responses in a disaster.
"Unity of effort during bilateral support for civil support operations such as floods, forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and effects of a terrorist attack, in order to save lives, prevent human suffering and mitigate damage to property, is of the highest importance, and we need to be able to have forces that are flexible and adaptive to support rapid decision-making in a collaborative environment," Gen. Renuart said in the U.S. military news release.
In the same news release, Canadian Lt.-Gen. Dumais called the plan "an important symbol of the already strong working relationship between Canada Command and U.S. Northern Command.
The plan recognizes the role of each nation's lead federal agency for emergency preparedness, which in the United States is the Department of Homeland Security and in Canada is Public Safety Canada.
The plan facilitates the military-to-military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response, according to the news release.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 09:21 pm (UTC)I didn't know about this. I gotta keep up with Alex Jones better.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 09:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 11:52 pm (UTC)The humanitarian in me sees and respects your argument. But that darn self-preservation instinct...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-25 02:10 am (UTC)