CANADA'S BORDER CAUCUS PREPARING TO COMMENT ON

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001540

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EB/TRA, CA/VO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PREL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA'S BORDER CAUCUS PREPARING TO COMMENT ON
WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE

REF: OTTAWA 481


1. (U) On May 18, 2005, Emboffs met with Conservative Member
of Parliament Russ Hiebert, chief organizer of Canada's
multiparty Border Caucus, whose 37 members are from ridings
(districts) adjacent to the U.S. border. Parliament's Border
Caucus was formed in 2004 and had its inaugural meeting in
Ottawa in February of this year (as reported in reftel).


2. (U) Hiebert asked to speak with Emboffs to register his
concerns and those of other MPs on the Border Caucus with the
proposed requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative (WHTI) as they pertain to possession of a passport
or other acceptable travel document for Canadians who wish to
enter the United States.


3. (U) MP Hiebert and other MPs from border ridings are
preparing to make formal comments regarding travel documents
for Canadians when the official comment period opens for the
WHTI. Of primary concern for border MPs is the fear that an
onerous travel document requirement could effectively stop
the casual travel presently engaged in by thousands of
Canadians per day; e.g., visits to family and friends in
adjoining communities along the border, day trips to buy
gasoline and groceries, and quick trips for a beer, movie, or
meal on the U.S. side. School groups and sports teams cross
regularly as well for field trips and competitions.


4. (U) Hiebert observed that only 40 percent of Canadians
have passports. (Note: Hiebert added that the figure for
Americans holding passports is about 20 percent. End note.)
These are predominately urban Canadians, however, not those
dwelling in small border towns in rural Canada. For
Canadians in the countryside, the C$90 charge for a passport
for a farmer and each of his family members could be a
considerable financial burden. Hiebert also questioned the
logic, at a time when passport theft is a major concern in
terms of human trafficking and the movement of terrorists, of
significantly increasing the number of passports for casual
use. Hiebert's group is presently researching the identity
and security features of drivers licenses issued by Canada's
provinces and territories to determine if they might
constitute an acceptable alternative to a passport.


5. (U) Hiebert mentioned that the Border Caucus' comments on
the WHTI will argue that Canada and the U.S. enjoy a unique
relationship that should be encouraged, not restricted. He
commented that Canadians and Americans are used to helping
each other, and must be allowed to continue to provide that
willing mutual assistance. In the case of first responders,
for example, there are volunteer fire departments in
Hiebert's riding in British Columbia where the fire house and
equipment are on one side of the border, but half the
volunteers are on the other side. Hiebert and his group hope
to work with their counterparts in the U.S. Congress to come
up with an acceptable travel document that will allow those
firefighters (and other emergency workers) to respond to a
call for help quickly and together on either side of the
border.


6. (U) Comment: Post believes Hiebert raises a number of
valid points which should be factored in as we implement the
new border security policy. The issue of lost and stolen
passports is a valid concern, as is the question of
facilitating cross border traffic.

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DICKSON