U.S. and Canadian Border Security

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan in Canada in May 2009. She has said recently: "To the extent that terrorists have come into our country, or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it's been across the Canadian border." (She was rebuked by Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson for this ignorant statement.) This is now known as the "Canadian Myth", continually repeated by top U.S. officials and politicians, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who wants to tighten security along the Canada-U.S. border because "it was simply 'too porous' following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks."

It is expected that Project Shiprider will be made permanent. It's a little-known, and controversial, project allowing the RCMP and the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct joint armed patrols of shared waterways such as the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Strait of Georgia, B.C. While on Canadian boats in Canadian waters, USCG officers act under RCMP authority but have arrest powers.
[May/2009 http://www.nationalpost.com...]

Project Shiprider began in Detroit/Windsor in 2005. On three separate occasions, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and the USCG (U.S. Coast Guard) have collaborated on this special marine security project in border waters. [Sep/2005 http://www.piersystem.com...]

Fact: According to the U.S. Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, most people who illegally enter the U.S. come from Mexico and 1% enter from Canada (2007).

Fact: None of the terrorists involved in the 9/11 attacks entered the U.S. from Canada. They came from other countries with valid U.S. visas.

Facts from RCMP: [Aug/2008 http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca...]