26 May 2009

U.S. and Canada sign waterway border pact

The following is extracted from today's edition of “The Star”.

Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano signed an agreement to allow the nations to help enforce each others' laws on the waterways along the shared border….

Tuesday's agreement, known as the Shiprider program, allows officers with the RCMP and U.S. Coast Guard to ride each others' vessels for joint patrols and specific enforcement operations. Vessels have been required to stop at the border and call the other nation's agencies for help.

The signing gives U.S. and Canadian officials the authority to train each other's officers and establish the permanent program. During a 57-day pilot program in 2007, Van Loan said the joint effort led to the seizure of contraband cigarettes, marijuana and the recovery of an abducted child….

Napolitano and Van Loan also toured port operations on both sides of the border Tuesday. She continues meetings with Canadian officials in Ottawa on Wednesday.