It’s time to rethink the US-Canada border
Tribal leaders on the Akewsasne-Mohawk reservation are raising questions about the high-speed boat chase last week that left two tribal members seriously injured.
According to the Plattsburgh Press-Republican, a Coast Guard vessel slammed into the men’s boat. They were apparently thrown into the water.
No charges have yet been filed, but an investigation continues.
Meanwhile, we at NCPR continue to hear serious complaints about the border.
At a recent gathering, a local resident with dual citizenship complained to this reporter about being handcuffed in front of her children and detained.
Apparently, her name matched that of a suspected fugitive.
We also have one Republican congressional candidate, retired Army Colonel Chris Gibson, proposing that we disband the Department of Homeland Security entirely.
“We need to consolidate the functions, the oversight functions, from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense,” Gibson says.
Meanwhile, the region is still recovering from the lengthy shutdown of the bridge at Cornwall, which was closed following a dispute between Canadian and tribal officials.
None of these problems serve to eclipse some real progress that has been made at the border in recent years.
New facilities and new personnel have made the border more efficient and, arguably, more effective at stopping illegal activity while facilitating trade and other cross-border traffic.
But recent incidents make it clear that more work needs to be done — and more thinking.
After 9/11, the US effectively created a northern border where none had existed before, at least since the late 1800s.
This occurred without much big-think strategizing or discussion.
It was a reaction to a frightening and confusing event.
Ten years later, it’s important to ask what has been accomplished, what we’ve gained by the massive expenditure on the border and what we’ve lost.
Is it possible, for example, to significantly limit the amount of smuggling that goes on with contraband and illegal immigrants? Or is the border just too vast, too wild, too porous?
Is it possible to reduce the threat of terrorists using Canada as an entry point and transiting to the US?
Or would it be more effective for the US to partner more closely with Canada’s security agencies to prevent suspects from reaching North America entirely?
Finally, do many of the border measures enacted over the last decade amount to window dressing?
I’ve spoken with state and Federal officials who remain privately skeptical about northern border security.
New security measures cost billions and in many cases create significant hurdles to legitimate commerce.
But it’s fair to question whether they have made the country safer, or significantly reduced crime.
President Barack Obama held a summit recently to talk about nuclear security, a hugely important issue.
But the US-Canada border is the largest and most important trading link in the world.
It’s time for both countries to begin an open, public discussion — one that includes native American and first nations communities — of how the frontier should be managed.
You thoughts welcome below.
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The problems on Akwasasne are not a US/Canada issue, they are a US/Canada vs. Akwasasne issue. We were chasing smugglers there long before 9/11 and little has changed. Until we stop molly coddling the indians on Akwasasne and treating them as special citizens we will have this problem. Do gooder bleeding hearts can paint our indians as poor, down trodden victims all they want. Meanwhile the reality of the violent nature of the criminal element there tarnishes the hard working honest people living on the "Rez". The only other alternative to the current method I see is to let Akwasasne and Ganyanka (sp) truly become "Sovereign Nations". Instead of trying to erect a fence or other impassable barrier on the US/Canada border erect the fence and traffic check points on the Rez borders. Cut them off from the nation they despise so much, that they take advantage of, that they use. Let the indians solve their own problems. It's not worth getting one Trooper, OPP or QPF officer hurt over. They brought this on themselves, let them live with it.I will now stand by for the multitude of posts outlining what pathetic victims our poor "native Americans" are. Too bad the rest of us native Americans have to pay their way.
Thoughts:In response to Bret, if you were born here you are a native. I was born here, my father was as was his ancestors for several generations. FWIW although I've never traced it, my father told me we are part native American (he used the word "Indian" back then). Same on my mother's side except for the native American part. I've long said it's time that they either joined us or became a truly separate country. The notion of a semi-independent nation inside our borders is unworkable.In general, I think that a lot of the Homeland Security emphasis comes from middle America that does not understand or comprehend that the Northern border is different from the Southern. In terms of return in security the increased emphasis does about as much as Linus' security blanket. We could get better value by a closer partnership with Canadian intelligence and police.
Jim, having been in the cop biz for 20+ years I can assure you there is a very good and effective relationship between police agencies of both sides of the border. The problem is political, not law enforcement.
I miss the old borders. I remember a time when we crossed the border here as a natural and almost casual part of life in the North COuntry. Often, I knew and recognized the customs and immigration people on both sides of the river and they knew me. There was very little of the militarized, "Fortress America" feel to it. I felt safe and at ease. When I cross the borders now, which, by the way, is much less often than I used to, I feel like a "suspect"… passports, inquisitions, trick questions about activities, vehicles, passengers, destinations, purposes and residency. I don't feel any safer now and I don't believe that we are any safer. How about we sit down with the Canadian government and the tribal governments, AS EQUALS, and ask each other what we want our borders and our sovereignty to look and feel like. We are too quick to tell everyone else what's best for them or what they are damn well going to do, like it's all for US to decide in the first place. "Those who would trade freedom for security, deserve neither".
The problem is that for political reasons the government feels it has to pretend the "problems" on the Northern border are the same as the Southern so we have tossed away millions safeguarding ourselves from non-existant problems.
Very thorny issue… and one we must work to solve. The only thing keeping retail alive on this side of the border is Canadian shoppers and with the strength of their dollar, they would be flocking over if it wasn't such a pain to cross. I agree with jdan4.. I crossed frequently in the past and got to know many of the officials from both sides. I think they need to use a little common sense and maybe be better trained in how to deal with people. If they would treat people how they would like to be treated things would be alot better. As far as Akwesasne is concerned, we need to work with them, but they need to follow the same rules as everyone else. Being Native American should be no license to smuggle. It is in everyone's best interest to solve this problem as soon as possible
Bret, it's Kahnawake. Good relations start with respect…
For what's it's worth, I've always thought the fact that the reservation straddles the international boundary is a major contributing factor to the problems at Akwasasne (including the smuggling).Perhaps Canada and the US should decide between them to give up some territory so that the border can be redrawn, thereby putting the reservation lands entirely within the US or entirely within Canada.The problem is, I can't imagine either country giving up a relatively small piece of territory to help solve this issue.
Before anymore is said about smuggling I think the truth be told. The governments of the U.S and Can. signed agreements with the natives for land. The natives only wanted free passage across the North American contintent. Free passage to carry any personal goods they are carrying or trading,free to carry on trade with anyone who wishes to trade with them. The reason there are boats on the rivers with tobacco in them is the Canadian Gov. will not honor their agreement. They give their reasons, loss of tax revenue, the problem with our economony in upstate n.y. always seems to be blamed on the natives, not the wasteful spending of all of the public's money by the Govn. They force us to pay taxes and I mean FORCE. All the money that is made from the tobacco goes to taxes anyway. All the money doesn't stay on the rez, 100% of it is spent in the outside communities, at all the local and regional businesses. There are no major stores on the rez and there will never be in our lifetime especially with that tribal council they have. One way or another the Governments collect their fees/paychecks (Taxes). As for the drugs and other criminal activites that go on all over the St.Lawrence river, in all the communities, I say lets do what we can as a group to put a stop to it. So before u start pointing fingers think and ask the questions, why is this going on and what started the whole thing.
Bosh! Are you maintaining that not one penny of tax money from tobacco or anything else reaches the various reserves? Bosh! Billions have been spent on our reservations and much of it wasted. What ever political infighting there is on Akwasasne is the problem of the people there. Smuggling isn't helping it. You want the rez to have major stores, etc. then you need to get your community together to move forward. And please don't try to smuggling is as common on the rest of the river as it is on the rez. That's just not true.
Bravo to Bret for use of the word 'bosh'!Definitely makes the joint seem a little classier.:)–Brian, NCPR
I too miss the ease of passage that prevailed for many years along the border. The passport requirement is a huge barrier, when even now, many who used to travel casually to Canada no longer do, either because they don't have a passport, or don't carry it with them most of the time.And I have also heard two stories in the last few days that speak to the impact of the border restrictions on commerce. My church has a grand pipe organ, manufactured in Quebec early in the last century, and the family business that built and installed it also tuned and maintained it–for four generations. But starting in 2007, they had to drop their US clients because it was becoming impossible to cross the border carrying their tools.The other case is a music organization in the region that relies on soloists and featured performers from Canada. It is almost impossible for them to use cross-border talent now.Keeping out the organ tuners and oboe players doesn't make me feel any safer.
Dale, what you have is a political answer to a criminal problem. The easy thing to do was to do what was done- passports, etc for entry. Fine. The problem is that criminals don't obey those laws, or use legal entry methods or care about any of that. IIRC the guy that killed the caretaker up in Chateaugay a couple years back, the one that got caught by the USBP in Texas, entered illegally. A lot of good the border does if you can just walk across it.So do we take our sovereignty seriously and take some action or do we take the risks and open the borders? Lets also remember another thing- Canada won't let an American with a DWAI enter. But they'll let any shady "political refugee" enter in an instant. So maybe some of that needs addressing also.
Pat, re your "tut-tut" response to Bret — not Kahnawake (near Montreal), but Ganienkeh (Altona, NY).
My sincere apologies. I stand corrected.
Anon 4;23- Thank you, I thought my spelling was just waaaaay off.No problem Pat.