NEXUS Card Holders, Trusted Travellers To Have Easier Time At Airports: Lisa Raitt

TORONTO - Travelling to the United States by air will be easier for some Canadian passengers, thanks to a new federal government initiative unveiled Wednesday.

NEXUS card holders and other low-risk trusted travellers who have already undergone extensive background checks will have access to dedicated screening lines at four of the country's busiest airports, Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said.

The trusted travellers include members of the Canadian and American armed forces, uniformed airline crews and members of the U.S. Global Entry travel program.

Nexus members nabbed at the border

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.

Ottawa urges flyers to go Nexus

Ottawa is touting shorter travel times for trusted passengers and fewer missed flights as it starts to roll out the details of Canada’s new border security deal with the United States.

The government is urging citizens to apply for Nexus cards, which offer quicker movement through streamlined security checks.

Canada and the United States are aligning their systems so Nexus users will be able to skip to the front of lines as they cross the border. Cardholders still must be screened but are able to jump ahead of other travellers and skip some steps like consulting with a border agent when they return home.

Nexus cards were already in limited use for domestic and some overseas flights but were not recognized by American systems.

On the flip side, Canada is switching to American standards for scanning baggage.