That's been one of the big differences between our border officials and the U.S. ones. I feel that the correlation between polite, non-asshattish border officials and rude asshat border guards and officials without guns versus guards with guns is non-coincidental.
The Union line has been that until Canadian border officials have guns, their job is not to apprehend criminals. If C&I officials feel that their lives are in danger, they have been instructed to leave their posts (In a sensible system, they'd call in the RCMP, but I don't know that the system has been sensible.)
Customs and Immigration has never been a policing function. C & I's official job has been to ensure that people crossing the border have their paperwork in order, that they are legally entitled to be in Canada, and that they pay their duties on commercial crap. Arming border officials changes the ideology behind their function from an administrative one to a militaristic one. I am not impressed.
Geez. I have, like, three letters to write to my MP today. She's gonna be so tired of me.
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Date: 2006-09-01 04:21 pm (UTC)That's been one of the big differences between our border officials and the U.S. ones. I feel that the correlation between polite, non-asshattish border officials and rude asshat border guards and officials without guns versus guards with guns is non-coincidental.
The Union line has been that until Canadian border officials have guns, their job is not to apprehend criminals. If C&I officials feel that their lives are in danger, they have been instructed to leave their posts (In a sensible system, they'd call in the RCMP, but I don't know that the system has been sensible.)
Customs and Immigration has never been a policing function. C & I's official job has been to ensure that people crossing the border have their paperwork in order, that they are legally entitled to be in Canada, and that they pay their duties on commercial crap. Arming border officials changes the ideology behind their function from an administrative one to a militaristic one. I am not impressed.
Geez. I have, like, three letters to write to my MP today. She's gonna be so tired of me.