US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA1540

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EB/TRA, CA/VO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PREL, CA, Border Patrol 
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. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
DICKSON