SciFiFisher wrote:Is it possible that this has something to do with diplomatic privilege? I.e. if we start letting you enforce laws on x then you will be able to enforce laws on y. i.e. law enforcement today and diplomats tomorrow?
Nope. The US government has explicitly said that if its officers engage in some sort of wrongdoing, they don't want Canadian laws regarding police misconduct to apply. Nothing to do with diplomats, especially since diplomats are protected by the Vienna Convention; police are not.
SciFi Chick wrote:I don't know, but unless we're extending the same privilege to the Canadians, then there's a major problem.
You aren't. The US DHS has made the request for American officers to be exempt from Canadian law, with no mention of reciprocation at all. Hell, there aren't even Canadian police on the US side of the border to speed up crossings: this is just American law enforcement in Canada, asking to be exempt from Canadian law, with no reciprocation of any kind.
Can you imagine how pissed people would be if Mounties were stopping cars at border crossings on the American side while being exempt from American law? With no US officers on the Canadian side? People would hit the roof. That's why I'm pissed off about this.
geonuc wrote:I don't have a problem with it if it only extends to border patrol officers working just on the other side helping to expedite truck crossings. In fact, I think that sort of legal agreement is a good thing. It's not like the US is expecting our cops to be allowed to travel throughout Canada with diplomatic immunity.
Well, no offence, but you wouldn't be the irritated party, would you? I'm not happy with armed (!) American police officers exercising police powers in my country while being entirely exempt from Canadian law - especially Canadian law regarding police misconduct. I've said I'm fine with cross-border officers speeding up crossings. What I'm
not fine with is immunity from Canadian law, no Canadian officers on the American side, and no reciprocation concerning immunity.
Sorry, that's just not on. That's a huge slap in the face regarding sovereignty and police accountability. Fuck that. You're in Canada, you're subject to Canadian law. I'm not okay with Canadians being policed by foreigners
subject only to foreign law while in Canada. As I said: fuck that.
This probably was brokered in NAFTA, or whatever subsequent treaty followed it, that allows Mexican and Canadian truckers to operate in the US to a limited extent.
No, it's a direct bilateral policing and border agreement between the US and Canada. The US is pushing for immunity from Canadian law for its officers, while Canada is asking for no such thing for its officers on US soil.
Worst part? We have no one to complain to, since there's currently no US ambassador to Canada. The last guy left at the beginning of summer, and there was no replacement lined up. There's always a replacement... just not this time. And there's been no movement on appointing a new ambassador. You think the government would want a representative up here, what with all the ruckus surrounding a certain oil pipeline. Might be good to have someone here to negotiate, since it's such a political hot potato in Washington. Good diplomacy skills, guys...