RCMP preparing to give FBI and DEA authority to arrest Canadians in Canada.

[driveway]

http://www.embassynews.ca/news/2013/...n-canada/43707

Canadian and American police agencies are currently locked in private talks over how to effectively launch pilot projects that would allow American agents from organizations like the FBI and the US Drug Enforcement Administration to be accredited as police officers in Canada, with the power to arrest individuals on the street like any Canadian cop.

Extended quotes from the article in spoiler tag

Spoiler!

Specially-designated police can already conduct such operations in shared waterways, after the Harper government’s spring 2012 budget implementation legislation changed several Canadian laws.

...

“I think in terms of the next decade or so, we’d certainly like to see the evolution of integrated cross-border law enforcement. We’d take our crime-fighting capability to the next level, which is bringing the [maritime] concept to the land environment.”

...

“The evaluation and pilots informed us that this [a pilot program] is a concept that works, this is a concept that gives us enhanced abilities, and the concept also demonstrates that we are being accountable, and we are respecting sovereignty.”

...

“If there’s an arrest, there’s two options: we could prosecute in Canada, or there’s a formal extradition request. There’s no situation here where we’re talking about someone apprehended in Canada and is summarily returned to the United States...due process that exists today will continue to apply,” he said.

My knee-jerk reaction is to oppose this, however I can see the merits of such a program and, with a fairly high level of transparency think it could be an effective tool.

[Minnie]

No.

[longsuffering]

No. Why would Canada want to give up sovereignty?

This is acceptable to the Harper Conservatives?

[RedMileDJ]

Yikes. No thanks. You want to arrest someone here? Go through the regular channels.

Has it been that much of an issue?

[Thor]

wtf no no no no no no way.......

[3 Justin 3]

This is complete bull****.

This is Canada, not America, piss off.

[cDnStealth]

Do not like.

[Rathji]

Doesn't seem like a real good idea.

[SeeBass]

slippery slope

do they have to hand in their guns when they cross the border? or will there be a day when US cops have a shootout on our streets

[Senator Clay Davis]

Thankfully only 2 more years and the CPC will not be back in power for another 20 years+. I'm glad I'm patient and can wait it out thankfully, but how can anyone defend the CPC? Someone tell me all the great things they've done.

[Bmuzyka]

Ummm, they have cracked down on Citizens of Convenience. Stripping Citizenship of Criminal Foreign Nationals. They ensured that Canada was one of the lesser hit of the 2009 Recession.

These are the two major ones I can think of. But you are right, like every other political party (Cough Alberta PCs Cough) there were a lot of empty promises. I still don't think they had nearly as many empty promises as the Liberals of past years.

I am not a hardcore conservative by any means (I am Fiscally Conservative, but more of a Social Liberal), but I have to admit, the political views of Ron Swanson are beginning to grow on me

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bmuzyka

They ensured that Canada was one of the lesser hit of the 2009 Recession.

Yeah, if "they" is Paul Martin's banking regulations.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Thankfully only 2 more years and the CPC will not be back in power for another 20 years+. I'm glad I'm patient and can wait it out thankfully, but how can anyone defend the CPC? Someone tell me all the great things they've done.

Isn't there enough whining and crying about the Conservatives in that stupid Trudeau commercial thread? Maybe we can keep that BS in that thread or other threads about the Cons.

I am not as concerned about this as others, but also don't think Americans and their enforcement agencies are big, bad boogeymen.

Canada and America work together so much as it is that if this works to get "bad guys" off the streets in Canada it is fine by me. I have doubts they are going to randomly grab citizens and throw them in Gitmo for jaywalking.

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by moon

Isn't there enough whining and crying about the Conservatives in that stupid Trudeau commercial thread? Maybe we can keep that BS in that thread or other threads about the Cons.

I am not as concerned about this as others, but also don't think Americans and their enforcement agencies are big, bad boogeymen.

Canada and America work together so much as it is that if this works to get "bad guys" off the streets in Canada it is fine by me. I have doubts they are going to randomly grab citizens and throw them in Gitmo for jaywalking.

What bad guys? Canada is one of the safest countries to live in. It seems to me that our police forces have things pretty much under control. Why do we need American police enforcing American laws in OUR country?

[troutman]

Team America, World Police. F$&@ Yeah!

[Huntingwhale]

Normally I'm the type of guy who takes the position of ''if you didn't do anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about''. But you've got to be kidding me. This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard any Canadian party suggesting, and I've heard some doozies.

I seriously hope that people all over the country are flooding the Conservatives office with phone calls. Worst idea ever.

[SeeBass]

Does this mean that if we dont let the US cops in they will just use a drone to get the bad guy?

[FLAMESRULE]

Worst. Idea. Ever. May as well just become another state if this happens.

I've emailed my MP, Michelle Rempel, to see what the Cons position on this is. The RCMP, IIRC, is arms length from the government.

[SeeBass]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

Worst. Idea. Ever. May as well just become another state if this happens.

I've emailed my MP, Michelle Rempel, to see what the Cons position on this is. The RCMP, IIRC, is arms length from the government.

Great idea, she is my MP too.

sent her the exact concerns

[GP_Matt]

Assuming that the whole thing is transparent and follows the article rules in that a person can be arrested in Canada but not extradited then I think the idea might be worth exploring.

I think of it along the lines of the DEA following a drug smuggler who manages to cross the border. The DEA can contact their counter parts in Canada for permission and if Canada can't get there in time then the DEA can cross the border to make the arrest and detain the suspect until the Canadian police show up to properly arrest the suspect.