The Canadian Press reports, “Months before the Conservative government dismissed talk of a perimeter security accord with the United States as hearsay, senior officials were quietly discussing a draft of the border agreement.”
“Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show federal deputy ministers considered a version of the accord early last September. In December, however, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper called such a deal mere ‘hearsay’ and ‘speculation.’”
“Critics say the federal government risks sovereignty and control of personal information about Canadians by implementing the accord.”
“‘It is not healthy for the democratic process for this to be happening behind closed doors, in secrecy,’ said Maude Barlow, national chairwoman of the Council of Canadians. ‘It affects the Canadian people and we have a right to hear about it, and it should be part of this election debate. …We’ve heard absolutely nothing about how the talks are going,’ said Barlow. ‘And I think that Canadians need to demand of this government a more open process.’”
The full Canadian Press article – which has just been posted to more than a dozen news website across the country – can be read in full at http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/canada/article/830624–documents-contradict-pmo-on-perimeter-accord.
