Arming border guards long, costly process: Day: Public-safety minister
says he'll weigh options before making a move
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Arming border guards will be a costly and time-consuming process, says
Stockwell Day, Canada's public safety minister.
In his first public speech since Prime Minister Stephen Harper made him
the minister responsible for border safety, Day said yesterday that a
full review is under way on whether it is time to have U.S.-style armed
guards.
Before committing to a change in border procedures, Day said he wants to
weigh all the options.
And he wants to have input from those on the front lines. "I want to get
a sense from [the border guards] on what is going to work," he said.
"It's amazing what our border guards face."
Using a variety of high-tech scanning tools at the border is also
helping, said Day. "We want to use as much technology as we can at the
border to make sure things flow," he said.
If he does make the decision to arm the guards, Day said, it will be
expensive. "I can't give an exact cost now, but it will be significant
and it will take time," he said.
With about 4,800 border guards at 119 border stations across the
country, Day said, training alone would "take three to four years."
In January, when two armed murder suspects were reported heading north,
guards at Peace Arch left their booths. Earlier this month, guards
walked away from their posts at three major B.C. crossing points over
concerns for their safety.
In addition to the Canada Border Services Agency, Day is responsible for
the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, RCMP, Canada Firearms
Centre, Correctional Service of Canada and the National Parole Board.
In his speech to the Surrey Chamber of Commerce at Hazelmere Golf
Course, Day said his government is hearing plenty of people's complaints
about crime.
"We are not going to be soft on crime," he said. "I do think the
deterrent for people will be that there are mandatory sentences."