At least 50 travellers considered so low risk the federal government granted them access to a special program that speeds their passage across the border were caught trying to bring unauthorized passengers into the country in 2010, newly released documents show.
The Nexus program allows those who have gone through a pre-screening process to pass through special lanes when they are travelling back into Canada from the United States. The idea is to make border crossing faster by getting those who are least likely to break the law through with minimal surveillance.
But in 2010, some members were caught trying to pass through highway Nexus lanes with other passengers who weren't part of the program.
Every time a Nexus member is found trying to pass through the special lanes with a passenger who is not part of the program, a border security employee fills out an "Alternative Inspection Program Violation Card." The Citizen obtained copies of the cards that were filled out in 2010 under the Access to Information Act.
If the travellers had not been caught, they would have entered the country without going through the rigorous screening that most people have to go through. Some security experts say this could make the program a security risk, particularly if the federal government doesn't provide enough money as it expands the program as part of a new agreement with the U.S.
The federal government has a rigorous monitoring program in place to ensure members continue to comply with the program after they go through the initial screening process, said a spokesman for the department that oversees the Nexus program.
"When travelling by land, a Nexus member does not complete a passage until a border service officer has verified that the member is in good standing and that all travellers in the vehicle are members of the Nexus program," wrote Ian Trites of the Canada Border Services Agency in an email.
This is usually done through a visual inspection, the CBSA website said.
More than 500,000 people are members of the Nexus program, which passengers can also use when they're travelling by air or boat. The government hopes it will expand to 830,000 by 2015, according to testimony at a House of Commons committee by CBSA director general Maureen Tracy.
The president of the union that represents border guards said he believes there aren't enough of them to effectively manage the program as it stands nor are there enough new people being trained.
"You have to make sure that we have the proper manpower (so that) the people who are honest remain honest," said Jean-Pierre Fortin, president of the Customs and Immigration Union. "Because if you make it too easy and you're trying to speed things up too quickly then as a result the people that were honest will say 'well it's so easy why not bring somebody the next time.' "
The federal government is hoping to further expand the program as part of a new perimeter security deal with the United States, some details of which were announced in December.
The Nexus program allows those who have gone through a pre-screening process to pass through special lanes when they are travelling back into Canada from the United States. The idea is to make border crossing faster by getting those who are least likely to break the law through with minimal surveillance.
But in 2010, some members were caught trying to pass through highway Nexus lanes with other passengers who weren't part of the program.
Every time a Nexus member is found trying to pass through the special lanes with a passenger who is not part of the program, a border security employee fills out an "Alternative Inspection Program Violation Card." The Citizen obtained copies of the cards that were filled out in 2010 under the Access to Information Act.
If the travellers had not been caught, they would have entered the country without going through the rigorous screening that most people have to go through. Some security experts say this could make the program a security risk, particularly if the federal government doesn't provide enough money as it expands the program as part of a new agreement with the U.S.
The federal government has a rigorous monitoring program in place to ensure members continue to comply with the program after they go through the initial screening process, said a spokesman for the department that oversees the Nexus program.
"When travelling by land, a Nexus member does not complete a passage until a border service officer has verified that the member is in good standing and that all travellers in the vehicle are members of the Nexus program," wrote Ian Trites of the Canada Border Services Agency in an email.
This is usually done through a visual inspection, the CBSA website said.
More than 500,000 people are members of the Nexus program, which passengers can also use when they're travelling by air or boat. The government hopes it will expand to 830,000 by 2015, according to testimony at a House of Commons committee by CBSA director general Maureen Tracy.
The president of the union that represents border guards said he believes there aren't enough of them to effectively manage the program as it stands nor are there enough new people being trained.
"You have to make sure that we have the proper manpower (so that) the people who are honest remain honest," said Jean-Pierre Fortin, president of the Customs and Immigration Union. "Because if you make it too easy and you're trying to speed things up too quickly then as a result the people that were honest will say 'well it's so easy why not bring somebody the next time.' "
The federal government is hoping to further expand the program as part of a new perimeter security deal with the United States, some details of which were announced in December.
This is causing concern among some security experts who say there won't be enough resources in place to effectively monitor the expanded program. As it stands now applicants need to go through a risk assessment when they first apply and then renew their membership in the program every five years, with occasional re-assessments in between.
Most of those caught travelling with undeclared passengers are likely harmless, said Benjamin Muller, a political-science professor and security expert at the University of King's College in London, Ont. But the worry is that as the program expands it could be used by those who pose a security risk.
Muller said the government should have the resources in place to check in with members more frequently to ensure they still pose little risk after they have been approved.
"How frequently and how rigorous is the re-assessment along the way I think becomes a more important question as your enrolment numbers increase because who you are now may not be who you are three and a half years from now," he said.
The same controls that are in place now will be the same under the border agreement, said CBSA spokesman Trites.
The Conservatives have released few details about how many employees they plan to add and how much extra money they plan to spend as part of the border deal.
The federal government's plan is to hire 327 new CBSA employees before the end of 2014, figures released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer show. This includes three new employees and $207,000 in planned spending to handle increased membership in trusted traveller programs like Nexus, a 2011 report on priorities issued by the department said.
Fifteen travellers had their memberships revoked as a result of trying to cross with undeclared passengers in 2010, the CBSA's Trites said in the email.
He added that most of those found in violation would have been able to cross if they had gone through one of the ordinary lanes. He didn't give any more information about those who wouldn't have.
Most of the people whose violations were detailed in the documents received warnings.
The border guards filled out the reasons for Nexus members gave for why they were travelling with undeclared passengers on the cards.
Many passengers were in violation because they had children in the vehicle who weren't part of the program. Others claimed they didn't know they were not able to bring non-members with them through the special lane.
Most of those caught travelling with undeclared passengers are likely harmless, said Benjamin Muller, a political-science professor and security expert at the University of King's College in London, Ont. But the worry is that as the program expands it could be used by those who pose a security risk.
Muller said the government should have the resources in place to check in with members more frequently to ensure they still pose little risk after they have been approved.
"How frequently and how rigorous is the re-assessment along the way I think becomes a more important question as your enrolment numbers increase because who you are now may not be who you are three and a half years from now," he said.
The same controls that are in place now will be the same under the border agreement, said CBSA spokesman Trites.
The Conservatives have released few details about how many employees they plan to add and how much extra money they plan to spend as part of the border deal.
The federal government's plan is to hire 327 new CBSA employees before the end of 2014, figures released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer show. This includes three new employees and $207,000 in planned spending to handle increased membership in trusted traveller programs like Nexus, a 2011 report on priorities issued by the department said.
Fifteen travellers had their memberships revoked as a result of trying to cross with undeclared passengers in 2010, the CBSA's Trites said in the email.
He added that most of those found in violation would have been able to cross if they had gone through one of the ordinary lanes. He didn't give any more information about those who wouldn't have.
Most of the people whose violations were detailed in the documents received warnings.
The border guards filled out the reasons for Nexus members gave for why they were travelling with undeclared passengers on the cards.
Many passengers were in violation because they had children in the vehicle who weren't part of the program. Others claimed they didn't know they were not able to bring non-members with them through the special lane.
Original Article
Source: Ottawa Citizen
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