U.S. Plan for Airline Security Meets Resistance in Canada

[babylonsister]

U.S. Plan for Airline Security Meets Resistance in Canada

By IAN AUSTEN
Published: October 14, 2007

OTTAWA, Oct. 13 — Canadian airlines are balking at a Department of Homeland Security plan that would require them to turn over information about passengers flying over the United States to reach another country.

The proposal, which appears at odds with Canada’s privacy laws, would mostly involve Canadians who join the annual winter exodus to Mexico, Cuba and the Caribbean. It is also viewed by the Canadian airline industry as a rejection of several costly measures already taken to assuage American concerns.

“I appreciate and respect United States citizens’ concern for their safety and security,” said Fred Gaspar, the vice president of policy and strategic planning for the Air Transport Association of Canada. “But we need to understand what the gap is they need to fix.”

The proposal is part of a broad Transportation Security Administration plan known as the Secure Flight Program. Last month, the agency released rules it hopes to impose when it takes over from the airlines the job of matching passenger names with terrorism watch lists and no-fly lists.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/us/14canada.html?hp

[aquart]

1. They'll cut us out and go over the pole for everything.

Which could make an interesting trip from Alberta to Venezuela.

[Kermitt Gribble]

2. US citizens concerns?

“I appreciate and respect United States citizens’ concern for their safety and security,” said Fred Gaspar, the vice president of policy and strategic planning for the Air Transport Association of Canada. “But we need to understand what the gap is they need to fix.”

Please, Mr. Gaspar, don't associate us with the criminal element running this country as they wage the "war on terror".