http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2...793251-cp.html

The stupidity continues at the Canada-US border. This is currently the world's busiest commercial border but the US government seems hellbent on destroying this through sheer ignorance and misguided policies. This latest initiative courtesy of the US Agriculture department boggles the rational mind!! I would bet that the geniuses in the USDA who concocted this hare-brained scheme have never even been to the border and have no conception of commercial logistics.

TORONTO (CP) - A U.S. Department of Agriculture plan to levy new fees on air travellers and commercial shipments from Canada is a nonsensical, self-serving measure that could clog the border and discourage air travel, the Canadian airline and trucking industries warned Friday.

The U.S. government said it intends to tighten agricultural inspections at the Canada-U.S. border in an effort to guard against the perceived threat of pests, disease and even bioterrorism.

As a result, commercial products and air travellers crossing the border will be subject to "user fees" as of Nov. 24.

"It's unnecessary and I think it has more to do with revenue generation than anything else," said Fred Gaspar, spokesman for the Air Transport Association of Canada.

"This is ostensibly to pay for an agricultural inspection program, but it's going to be universally applicable to every passenger and every airline."

Commercial aircraft arriving in the U.S. from Canada will have to pay US$70.25, trucks US$5.25 per crossing or US$105 for the year, loaded rail cars US$7.50 and commercial vessels US$488. Many of the fees will increase slightly in the next fiscal year.

"This cost will be a burden on Canadian shippers, travellers and agriculture producers," said Easter. "The United States' border inspection services are using false pretences. This is pure and simple trade protectionism under the guise of health inspection and clearly breaches the spirit of the North American Free Trade Agreement."

Graham Cooper, senior vice-president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, said he too was concerned about rules he considers far too broad.

"It would appear that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is intending to apply a user fee on all trucks that cross the border irrespective of whether they are carrying fruits and vegetables or machine parts," Cooper said.

All trucks that cross the border from Canada are required to give U.S. customs advance notice of what they are carrying.

"If a truck is carrying a load of machine parts, hopefully we don't find the U.S. Department of Agriculture opening it up, looking for tomatoes," Cooper said.

Cooper said he isn't convinced that there is a need for increased inspections, and that those measures would almost certainly create problems at the border.

"It doesn't take much before you start jamming it up," he said, which would have negative implications for trucking companies making prompt deliveries.

Gaspar said implications in the air travel industry may be less tangible, but not any less serious.

"We can't quantify exactly what the effect will be, but it's clearly not positive and it clearly will not encourage travel," he said.

A yes another area where Canadians feel they should have the right to tell us what we can and can not do in our own country.

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The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

anyone who has bought a ticket from aircanada should know all about fees and levies. It's practically a quarter of the ticket price.

I agree that this is stupidity.

Then again, I think that the USDA needs to disappear, along with a lot of other federal programs. The USDA has placed a stranglehold on the small farmer. They are in the pocket of Archer Daniels Midland. They have contributed toward the watering-down of U.S. ag products as well as the general endangerment of the health of the consumers, all under the premise of protecting them. If I were king for a day. . .

I agree most departments under this administration have been in the hip pockets of the industries they are intended to regulate, however that is nothing new and is certainly not something that this administration pioneered. To me that was not the issue. This is an American policy, good bad or indifferent. As such it is up to us to decide whether it is something we want to put up with or not. It is not up to Canadians.

I frankly get tired of Bailey and his incessant rants on what he thinks is in Americas best interest. He could care less what is in our best interest.

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The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Its not, but if this is in fact unjustified you can expect retaliatory action, and it is hardly a way to treat one of our closest allies.

If Canada feels it has to retaliate that will be Canada's decision, not mine.

When news gets out that Toronoto is going to have to find alternative means of disposing of its trash strating in 2010 I expect a post from bailey telling us how stupid this idea is and how it will ruin cross border trade.

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The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Well, this the US politics online messageboard, and this a US political decision, so it seems fair game for comment. Unless you're saying only US citizens can participate then I don't see what the problem is.

Granted, but since we can expect Canada to retaliate, and to make it generally less profitable for both nations its a tad wise to take the opinions of both nations into account.

I really don't think thats going to be too much of a problem... They'll just have to find a way to ship it into Northern Ontario. Its not like Canada is short in locations.

Frankly I could care less what Canadians think about us or our policies or want us to do on a particular policy. What I care about is do these policies make sense for America. If they do Canada will just have to learn to live with it or take whatever action they feel is in their own interest. If the policies do not make sense for America then it is up to us to change it, but again the feelings and opinions of Canadians plays no role. It is called national self interest. We do what is in our interest and they do what is in thiers. They do not let us dictate their interests to them why should we listen to Canada when they try to tell us what is in our interest. It is as simple as that.

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The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Bullshit Gort. You are telling us what to do in our country. Get lost.

...and now the US is adding to it. You support this additional fee?

Listen Gort, you are the one supporting the US government dictating policies that impact directly on my country. Canada didn't dictate policy to the US in this case. The USA is dictating policy to Canada. Frankly we're tired of your arrogance and ignorance and want you and your country to butt out of our affairs. Bugger off Gort. Get it now?

Precisely. I get the feeling that Gort is a bit of a facist. Hmmm...I wonder what his attraction with Germany was....

Yes you do care obviously. Secondly you are a raving hypocrite. Thirdly, you're completely wrong. That should be clear even for someone possessing your rudimentary level of rational thought.