Comments on: Why the U.S. doesn't trust Canada

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:16:29 +0000

Thats right shut down the border and we would just have to stop supplying fuel, electricity and other natural resources into america. Its not our fault if you feel anti Canadian to wards us. America would not be able to support it's self for long with out Canada.on the other hand as a Canadian I have said my fair share of american jokes, and have been the focus of jokes by many americans just for being Canadian. People like you only see one half of the problem thinking about how you are affected. America Loves to hate Canada to. just try thinking of the hole picture before you wish for hundreds of people to die. Kyle From Canada

By: Stephen Wallace

Stephen Wallace — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:03:29 +0000

Like Arar was the only Canadian citizen whose rights were desecrated by the US.
Check out the Marc Emery story.

By: all of 'er

all of 'er — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:52:20 +0000

A paranoid doesn't trust a non paranoid.
If Canada saw terrorism the same as the US, we would not have let all your flights land here the day of 911, and fed and sheltered your people. We don't worry because we don't make enemies.
A non paranoid finds a paranoid predicable.. I suppose that is a form of trust.
Do what you want at your borders. A small price to pay for our peaceful relaxed way of life.
A paranoid wouldn't trust another paranoid anyway.

By: John

John — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:56:16 +0000

As a former senior Canada Customs official I can offer this
1) We do not take border security seriously enough and our single focus on trade has hurt us. For a decade (3 years past 9/11, we had Customs reporting to Taxation) The Americans were aware during that period of what damage that did to our border protection capabilities.
2) The Americans have indeed gone crazy post 9/11 with respect to border control. They violate every basic rule of risk management, looking to examine everything and have added layers of impediments in a world of global trade. In Customs, the the trick is to focus resources on high risk areas. The Americans throw resources at everything no matter what the risk
The author ignores the fact that the "perimeter strategy" would have entailed making our laws conform to theirs with resultant loss of political and economic sovereignity. That's why it failed.
The solution is to improve our border security and take that seriously, something that no Canadian government has been fully willing to do. For the Americans, we can only hope that they come to their senses and realize that throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the border is not the most effective strategy.

By: machinecodeblue

machinecodeblue — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:00:26 +0000

BTW Bill I really like America, and find it very dissapointing that we have all allowed unchecked paranoia to run amok. It is very sad so many Americans are not fully aware of the many things our two countries have built and achieved in common. That said, i won't put up with nonsense no matter where the source, and the DHS is a total farce.

By: machinecodeblue

machinecodeblue — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:48:27 +0000

Bill the Trade Surplus we "ENJOY" is only there because the US chooses to buy our goods and services. Sounds to me that your one of those Americans that thinks "Everyone is Getting a Free Ride"…

Well Im sorry you feel that way. Frankly I am quite confident that Canada will always find markets for what we make, and if the USA wishes to trade fairly with us thats great. Sadly Canada only has room for paying customers, and poking Canada in the eye won't gain America many favors.

You have a great night :-)

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:29:53 +0000

Now about that trade surplus with us that you enjoy…Should we take that out the door with us too?

By: Dustin

Dustin — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:35:39 +0000

Does it come as a surprise to anyone there is no mention of the war in Iraq? How can a neighbour nation expect complicity in streamlined security strategies when one of those nations attacks another under the laughable guise of WMD? I had hoped after the September 2001 attacks—I don't use 9/11 as that date is also the one in 1973 that a CIA-lead coup took out the democratically elected leader of my parent's country of origin, Chile, because he wasn't good for capitalism—the U.S. would tell its shocked and confused citizens just why it was targeted in such a way. As the war in Afghanistan morphed into Iraq, it was plain to see this opportunity was lost. Same old from Uncle Sam, using the world, its resources and markets, as his playground.
Let me be clear. Canada is not innocent when it comes to this type of exploitation around the world but America is second to none in this department. As long as it does so and gives the label of "terrorism" to war acts on its soil only, the relationship will be uneasy at best in North America.

By: Yamaneko

Yamaneko — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:49:43 +0000

To the people complaining that Canada's ills are of American manufacture: you are probably right, so please feel free to beef up your southern and western borders. In fact, consider unravelling some safety net, raising taxes or taking on debt so that your army is enough to scare our next unhinged President from invading.

It's really not fair to think of us as particularly bad neighbours. France maintains two flyspecks south of Newfoundland for the fishing rights. The maritime borders with Greenland, Norway and Russia are very hard to cross without a plane.

By: Jim Cooligan

Jim Cooligan — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:09:16 +0000

an 80yr. old Canuck, you sent your astronauts to the Sudbury area to train for the moon. It was a US company Inco that caused the total devestation.The US was miffed because we did not follow them into Iraq! Why didn't they follow us into the 2nd world war until 3yrs later,they had to be bombed 1st. Has Peter heard about Grassy Narrows? The tar pits? The Us has caused more deaths in Canada than any disaster. Who helped you out in Iran? Who was there during 9/11`? . I have been to every main land state and spent 10 winters in Florida as well as most of my family are now Americans. You have given the NRA the right to supply the means for your youth to slaughter each other. Give them poison instead of guns and less innocent bystanders will die. When you have a city of approx. 500,000 and no murders in a year then come back and we'll talk!

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:27:36 +0000

As an American who has enjoyed Canada and Canadians and who has attended grad school in Canada I've come to understand that we should try to distance ourselves from one another. The bile and hate I hear from our northern neighbors has really demonstrated to me that our interests are separate.

I wish them well, put pray that they will visit our nation less frequently and help to make our relationship as explicitly adversarial as we can. We should no longer trust one another. Canada should no longer trust me, certainly.

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:04:55 +0000

I've not seen evidence that crime in Canada is an American export.

Good Lord. Life doesn't have to be this hard, mate.

Really, if you can't understand (or refuse to understand) the ethical connection between providing the inspiration, leadership and logistical elements of branch-plant crime syndicates and taking moral responsibility for the harm those syndicates do to the foreign nations they take root in, we've nothing more to discuss.

All that remains for you to do–now that you've established that America is not responsible for the Canadian dregs it inspires, trains, funds and manages– is tell me why Afghanistan is responsible for the harm done by the dregs of Saudi society (like the 9/11 hijackers), and why America's identity is so weak that it needs the "boogeyman" of "radical Islam", when American domestic terror threats are just as dangerous, as folks in Oklahoma City will attest.

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:04:30 +0000

I've not seen evidence that crime in Canada is an American export.

Good Lord. Life doesn't have to be this hard, mate.

Really, if you can't understand (or refuse</i to understand) the ethical connection between providing the inspiration, leadership and logistical elements of branch-plant crime syndicates and taking moral responsibility for the harm those syndicates do to the foreign nations they take root in, we've nothing more to discuss.

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:03:54 +0000

I've not seen evidence that crime in Canada is an American export.

Good Lord. Life doesn't have to be this hard, mate.

Really, if you can't understand (or refuse

By: Neshobanakni

Neshobanakni — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:22:51 +0000

Felix says to "Get over it, people." I'm not over Pearl Harbor. Why should I be over Sep. 11? We're grudge-holders. It's a survival mechanism; as long as it's well known, we hope folks will believe attacking us to be suicidal. We don't have a grudge against Canada; we like you more than anyone else in the world. You're a more polite (in our -popular collective – minds, not to belittle your country in any way) version of us, without the totally vicious, almost insatiable revenge reflex. Until our revenge is slaked, we'll be a bit prickly (see Nippon, Tokyo being firebombed, two frickin' nukes).

By: coastlogger

coastlogger — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:16:12 +0000

Americans are paranoid. But then when you have managed to piss off most of the free world and probably all of the not so free world perhaps you have a right to be paranoid. Perhaps if they were not so obsessed with this manifest destiny thing they would be better liked. Anyway very few Canadians actually hate Americans since most of us have relatives there, it is their ruling class that we can not tolerate.

By: haithabu

haithabu — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:44:43 +0000

I like the article much better than most of the commentary. Paul raises valid points which few here seem to want to address. The level of disrespect and dislike expressed towards the US in these comments discourages me as one who has family on both sides of the border. It's graceless, self-defeating and makes us look like self-righteous hypocrites when we turn around and ask for special concessions on the ground of our "special relationship".

By: Darden Cavalcade 2

Darden Cavalcade 2 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:31:39 +0000

I've not seen evidence that crime in Canada is an American export. I believe the evidence shows that guns and drugs are a Canadian import. Planned by Canadians. Organized by Canadians. Executed by Canadians. For and in behalf of Canadians.

How is the United States responsible for the actions of the dregs of Canadian society? Is Canadian cultural and political identity really so weak that it requires a boogeyman?

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:32:37 +0000

Gee. Maybe you're right Darden. Perhaps America should in no way be held accountable for the drugs, guns and crime that it exports into Canada.

Just like Afghanistan should in no way be held accountable for what it exported to New York City on September 11th, 2001. Naturally.

Make sure to announce this startling epiphanic insight to President Obama and his national security advisor. They just don’t seem to get it.

By: Darden Cavalcade

Darden Cavalcade — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:43:29 +0000

I'll take your word for it, Frank. Canadian outlaw bikers are feckless losers with no initiative or management skills of their own and no conception of how to organize a mutli-million dollar criminal enterprise. Without the help, guidance, and state-of-the-art leadership training programs of Hell's Angels chapters in California, bumbling Canadian outlaws would be reduced to going straight.

I'm a bit confused though about where Sig/Uzi-armed bandits are killing, robbing, and raping Canadians. Is that in America where the streets are hip-deep in firearms or in Canada?

When hurricanes slide up the east coast of the U.S. and strike maritime Canada, is that America's fault, too? Or just God's?

By: Darden Cavalcade

Darden Cavalcade — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:26:42 +0000

I'm sorry. I don't follow your response.

Canadians who buy guns in Canada illegally in the U.S. and smuggle them into Canadian cities make your gun problem an American problem. Do I have that right?

Canadians sell narcotics to other Canadians and since the product passes through the United States from its point of origin in Latin America (or the Golden Triangle, or Turkey, or Afghanistan) the United States is responsible for master minding Canada's drug problem. Correct?

The Canadian criminal class should be ashamed of itself. Where is its patriotism? Can't it stand on its own two feet, get itself organized, and become more entrepreneurial like the rest of the Canadian economy? It has to lean on American organized crime for the tools of its trade? That's just desperately wrong.

By: Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:51:01 +0000

Now, watch my show! Citytv weeknights, see your local listings. .

By: Jay Leno

Jay Leno — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:50:19 +0000

Wow, that was painful on the eyes.

By: guest

guest — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:07:43 +0000

So all four of your examples are US imports to Canada. Shows how strong your border controls are.

By: Felix

Felix — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:21:30 +0000

I really wish this post-9/11 narrative would be put to bed already. It's been over eight years since it happened…that's double the time from the attack on Pearl Harbour to the dropping of the nuclear bombs. Get over it people.
However, we will always have a different narrative on terrorist threats than Americans, simply because we aren't Americans. That means we don't have hundreds of military bases overseas. We don't send guided missiles into rural villages. We don't "extrodinarily rend" people we suspect. The United States is right to be more paranoid, to be fearful of reprisals by extremist groups. The same is not the case for Canada. It would be to our great detriment to adopt policies similar to those of our neighbours to the south.

By: British Columbian

British Columbian — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:21:10 +0000

The vitriole in the commentary says it all. No wonder we are getting so far apart. This, whether the moronic American haters like it or not, is an excellent description of the deteriorating relationship which was (and still is to some of us) our best friend. The last 30 years or so the squeaky wheels keep getting the grease and this is but one mor example. The anti-American rhetoric of Chretien and his shills added to this mess and now there is a looming trade war to boot. Mr. Rosenzweig is correct in that actions have consequences. No, the Americans aren't perfect…but…what the idiots have forgotten…neither are we. I keep asking the question: Who do you want as a neighbour, Russia, China, N. Korea, Afghanistan, Venezuela, France. Remember, England and Australia don't have our politics. No one ever answers. Again, the Americans aren't perfect but I personally would rather live beside them than any country on earth. Unfortunately that sentiment is being tested by people I do not respect.
We've become a nation of whiners who think we are better than everyone else. The future doesn't look pretty.

By: HarleyDave

HarleyDave — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:34:22 +0000

You're right…and it was the US that allowed the hijackers of those planes used in the 9/11 attacks to live, work and go to flight school legally in America. If you believe that our entry requirements are more lax, why was it that NYC and Washington were attacked and not Toronto or Montreal?

By: HarleyDave

HarleyDave — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:23:10 +0000

If you think that the only sociopathic members of an organized crime group (Hell's Angels) are Canadian, think again. Canadian organized crime is responsible for the greatest amount of synthetic drug export in the world. Drugs such as ecstacy and crystal methamphetamine are manufactured here and exported to Europe and Asia by these gangs – most notably between chapters of the HA. America can guard their borders any way they wish but remember, the perpetrators of the hijacking of the planes ued in the Sept. 11/01 attacks were living legally in the US under visas for quite some time, and trained by private flight schools in Florida. This says nothing of the homegrown terrorist attack in Oklahoma City. Making it harder for companies to do business by thickening the border is exactly what the 9-11 terrorists wanted….disruption of normal life in the US.

By: HarleyDave

HarleyDave — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:22:55 +0000

if you think that the only sociopathic members of an organized crime group (Hell's Angels) are Canadian, think again. Canadian organized crime is responsible for the greatest amount of synthetic drug export in the world. Drugs such as ecstacy and crystal methamphetamine are manufactured here and exported to Europe and Asia by these gangs – most notably between chapters of the HA. America can guard their borders any way they wish but remember, the perpetrators of the hijacking of the planes ued in the Sept. 11/01 attacks were living legally in the US under visas for quite some time, and trained by private flight schools in Florida. This says nothing of the homegrown terrorist attack in Oklahoma City. Making it harder for companies to do business by thickening the border is exactly what the 9-11 terrorists wanted….disruption of normal life in the US.

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:19:52 +0000

…the sociopathic members of the gang in Canada were Canadians, not Americans…

The personnel are native; the organisation and management are American. If a bunch of American citizens were to carry out an Al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist attack on behalf of a Saudi-controlled sleeper cell, U.S. media would not hesitate to call the attacks "Islamist", rather than "American". Applying the same criteria, mafia and gang activities in Canada are largely "American". Virtually every major urban centre in Canada has a version of the Crips and the Bloods. Guess where those little glee clubs are headquartered?

…doesn't your complaint underscore the need for greater Canadian vigilance at its borders?

It might. But it more urgently underscores the need for Americans to take Canadian concerns about border and broader U.S. social-policy issues more seriously, including the out-of-control arms supply that has flooded American streets with cheap Sig Sauers and Uzis, too many of which end up being used to kill, rob and rape Canadians.

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:18:53 +0000

Canadian citizens [buy] firearms illegally in the United States and [transport] them across the border for sale to other Canadians… I'd ask if Canadian criminals were responsible for [cocaine trafficking] or if it was American criminals?

Hence why the U.S. is our Mexico, to a great extent. Still, the U.S. drug trade, supplied largely from Latin America, is masterminded by the American citizens who run the delivery pipelines, while U.S. narcotics-suppression strategies are premised on the need for interdiction at the source level–in Mexico, Colombia, etc. That walks us right through the Looking Glass: to hear American elites talk, the drug trade is a scourge inflicted on God-fearing Americans by swarthy southern foreigners, yet U.S. gun smuggling is a "Canadian" problem. Right.

By: Darden Cavalcade

Darden Cavalcade — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:10:08 +0000

I'm not an expert on crime in Canada. The only article I've read (in Mclean's) about gun-running from the US to Canada involved Canadian citizens buying firearms illegally in the United States and transporting them across the border for sale to other Canadians.

The only article I've read (again in Mclean's) about the Hell's Angels made it clear that the sociopathic members of the gang in Canada were Canadians, not Americans.

I don't know anything about cocaine trafficking in Canada or anywhere else, but I'd ask if Canadian criminals were responsible for this traffick or if it was American criminals?

Francis, the United States isn't responsible for controlling or examining the people or material who cross the border INTO Canada, is it? If handguns, gangsters, white supremists, and drugs crossing the Canadian border from the south are problems for Canada, doesn't your complaint underscore the need for greater Canadian vigilance at its borders?

By: Darden Cavalcade

Darden Cavalcade — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:58:51 +0000

We are different peoples, different cultures, different political systems, different economies. Now the border reflects those differences. Why the surprise?

By: Albertan

Albertan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:50:23 +0000

I trust that Paul is aware of the fact that the terrorists who pulled off 9/11 all had legally-obtained passports. Or that US airport security regularly fails to find guns and bomb components even after all their expensive upgrades. Or that the Canadian presence in Afghanistan is not ‘mild’ – our soldiers are over there dying because of a US/Taliban grudge match.

What a disgrace.

By: Michigander

Michigander — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:34:28 +0000

Trust me, as an American, this is not my perspective. Here's to hoping that the DHS dials down the paranoia and works towards improving its working relationship with Canadian officials in the near future.

By: davekat

davekat — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:30:12 +0000

How can Maclean's justify publishing this paid shill's "commentary" as a serious look at a serious issue? Simplistic, mildly paranoid, parochial and based on the underlying assumption that the United States has a special, above-the-law status among the community of nations.
Do we believe the U.S. "over-reacted" to 9-11? No. We KNOW they did.

By: HarleyDave

HarleyDave — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:49:32 +0000

This article illustrates the very reason that the rest of the world is sick to the gills with America's myopic, self-centred view. The rendition of a fellow Canadian by US agents to Syria where torture is a popular Saturday night activity beacause why?…he had a conversation in the rain with a person of interest? Give me a break! The US government has the right to protect its borders anyway it sees fit, as does every other sovereign nation. But America's over-reaction to the events of Sept. 11 / 01 (i.e.: the invasion of 2 sovereign nations) and the continued illegal incarceration of foreign nationals at Guantanamo Cuba should forever be used as lesson points in how not to win friends and influence people.

By: Nova Scotia Friend

Nova Scotia Friend — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:32:03 +0000

Amen!!!!!!!!!

By: Nova Scotia friend

Nova Scotia friend — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:14:43 +0000

OH My, Hate hate hate. So strong. I have many many American friends from all over your great country and have never felt such hatred for Canadians, as I see here in this thread. Terrible to see this, as far as I feel we are and should be the best of friends. Lets face it there is so much hatred in the world let alone start working on building more between two countries that rely on each other. Canada has a lot to offer and so does the great USA, we need to focus on that not such bitter thoughts.. Do we want to end up like other countries.. think about it!

By: Sir_Francis

Sir_Francis — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:25:45 +0000

So, let's review:

1) The most devastating terrorist attack ever committed on North American soil is planned and carried out by a group of foreign Islamists whose presence in the U.S. was in full compliance with American Immigration and Naturalization protocols;

2) Smuggled American-made handguns comprise over 50% of illegal firearms seizures in Toronto alone;

3) Canada's most sophisticated and violent criminal organisations, such as the Hells Angels, the Cosa Nostra and the Aryan Brotherhood, are American exports;

4) The U.S. is the point of entry for virtually all of Canada's cocaine and heroin…

…and the Americans don't trust our commitment to border security…?

Practically every major social pollutant currently soiling Canadian communities is of American inspiration or manufacture. Any discussion of cross-border security cooperation needs to be premised on that plain fact. Otherwise, one runs the risk of talking the kind of autistic rubbish exemplified by this article and the vapid Canada-bashing of some of the comments.

By: ottawasteph

ottawasteph — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:36:03 +0000

Profiting from the "everything changed after 9/11" hysteria works on people gullible enough to believe that these are "difficult times," as if we couldn't say the same thing 20, 200 or 2000 years ago. Sorry, PR, I'm not buying what you're selling.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:23:02 +0000

Hmm. I don't hate Americans. I married one.
I live in the USA because I want to go home less than he wants to stay. I love it here, and I love it at home, too. I'm not planning to change my citizenship just yet, because I love being Canadian.
I was amazed at how difficult it was to get my green card. It took a year of paperwork, money, and humiliating interviews.
I naively thought because I am Canadian the process would go more smoothly.
The system appears to be limping along, and getting more difficult to navigate by the moment. Our attitude towards our neighbour isn't helping.
I think we need to stop frivolous, emotionally charged arguments and get down to the business of getting along. We don't have to agree with every policy. We just have to realize that disagreeing just because we can is a stupid idea.

By: novagardener

novagardener — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:43:28 +0000

Gee, my hubby and I will be helping to pump up your economy this weekend – actually 5 days. As a previous Montrealer (long, long time ago) I & friends went to Plattsburg, NY (American Air Force Base :-) almost every weekend. I was very involved with an American who wanted to marry me, but I had wander lust. Several of my friends did marry Americans. Those were the sweet days when border crossing was a 1 min. Q&A. I don't hate Americans at all. I've hosted Americans at our home that I've only met on the 'net as well as others of various nationalities. I just despise the tea baggers and their ilk.

By: Mike T.

Mike T. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:10:36 +0000

One billion plus interest, some of it going back 20 years.

By: Ugly American

Ugly American — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:03:56 +0000

As an American, I say we should shut the border. Perhaps if two planes full of Canadians crashed into buildings in Toronto, you would see the issue in a different manner. Canadians love to hate the Americans. We really don't consider you at all. Live and let live. If you are so against U.S. policies, why do you care if the border is open, as you probably don't want to come here anyway. I really don't care about the borders in China or France. Ohh I see, you want the borders open because you do want to trade with us. No thanks.