Canadian No-Fly List

(Ottawa, Canada) Nearly six years after 9/11, Canadian authorities have decided to implement a "no-fly list" of people reasonably suspected as immediate threats to the safety of aircraft, passengers and crew. The list takes effect on June 18th. At passenger check-in, names will be automatically screened against the government list.

The no-fly list will be compiled by Transport Canada with input from the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

The new rules will apply to all passengers "who appear to be 12 years of age or older." The government says that is consistent with the definition of a child under Canadian law (Criminal Code and the Youth Criminal Justice Act).

Overseas travel already requires a passport. For domestic travel, passengers will require one piece of valid government-issued photo ID that shows name, date of birth and gender, such as a driver's licence or a passport; or two pieces of valid government-issued non-photo ID, at least one of which shows name, date of birth and gender, such as a birth certificate.

Critics warn of false positives and cite the problems experienced in the U.S. They also complain that it will be virtually impossible to remove a name from the no-fly list when wrongly included. Canada's Privacy Commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, previously expressed concerns regarding the loss of rights.

In a time of global holy war, failure to screen air passengers is risky. Nevertheless, it's understandable that people are apprehensive about having their names and personal information on a government list.

Meanwhile, there's news that the CSIS is being flooded with applications. More and more Canadians want to become spies. Last year, over 14,000 people applied with only 100 hired as intelligence officers. Let's all hope that the Canadians don't unwittingly recruit Muslim jihadists for intelligence officers as reportedly the Brits did.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.