US-Canada Fence

[Pete_Hickey]

I see in theis morning's paper, that the U.S. is considering building a fence along the US-Canada border.

There are a few hikes that would notice this change.

 

[NewHampshire]

And supposedly the "Minute Man Project" guys, the ones on the Southern border watching for illegal crossings, are looking to take their project to the Canadian border. I dunno, I wouldnt want my duckie Maggie being mistaken for a terrorist . Maybe they should require any person who wants to be a Minute Man to have completed either the 48 or 46 .
Brian

 

[dudley]

Maybe they should require any person who wants to be a Minute Man to have completed either the 48 or 46 .
Brian

Maybe they should be required to finish highschool.

 

[Rick]

Didn't the soviets already try that in 1960??

 

[king tut]

I don't want to guess who the brain is that thought up this idea. Are there any Canadians that want to come down here and lose their health insurance? Maybe it is them putting it up to keep us out, can't blame 'em.

 

[giggy]

ussr - did it to keep people in - we trying to keep em out! (and it ain't the good folks of canada they are talking about)

my complaint would be why spend all the cash putting something up that will be innefective. An electrical fence like we use to keeps pets in would be much better and more effective. up the voltage to finish the job right there.

 

[audrey]

An electric fence would be a good thing - the easy way to Boundary is way too easy and needs a bit more of a challenge.

 

[David Metsky]

<moderator hat on>
Feel free to discuss the hiking impact of this proposal, but please keep the political comments to yourselves.

Thank you in advance,

-dave-
<moderator hat off>

 

[dms]

One negative impact would be the loss of the use of a Canadian maintained trail on the boundary swath in Coburn Gore. I have also hiked part of this trail near Marble Mtn. on the NH/Canadian border. Putting a fence on the boundary swath would totally ruin this trail system.

 

[SherpaKroto]

I'll bet all of the animals would really appreciate this. And I'm not talking about the hikers, but the 4 legged kind.

Truly sad idea (and more than a bit insane)

 

[tonycc]

hmmm, all the reports I have seen only refer to a southern border fence. A northern border fence only makes sense if the US gov is trying to keep us from finding out how much fun we can have up north.

Tony

 

[Pete_Hickey]

hmmm, all the reports I have seen only refer to a southern border fence.

It doesn't make the news in the US as much as it does in Canada.


http://www.canada.com/national/globalnational/story.html?id=477d3646-3fd4-4373-a06b-f4d62333583d

Is one story. I would think more trails would be effected in the Northeast than in other places.

 

[dms]

SentiersFrontailiers

The trail I mentioned in my earlier post, goes to Mt. Gosford in Quebec, and follows the US/Canadian boundary swath to Marble Mountain, a beautiful peak on the ME/Quebec border. It goes further north to the Mass Gore peaks and through an interesting deep cleft called Smuggler's Notch. Eventually, the plan is to have it connect with the Cohos Trail. If you want a remote trail to wander, far from the maddening crowds, this could be for you. The website is in french, but has maps and trail descriptions. www.sentiersfrontaliers.qc.ca

 

[el-bagr]

FWIW, US news reports are covering the Mexican border fence concept, but I didn't hear anything on Maine Public Radio or the Maine newspapers about the Canadian fence.

 

[Buffalogal]

Hi everyone - I just want to clarify that no decision has been made to erect a fence along the US-Canadian border. The issue was covered in the Buffalo News, as border issues are always a hot topic here. A provision to study the fence was passed as part of a larger immigration bill. The Western New York congressional delegation (both parties) strongly opposes a fence, wants to make border crossing more efficient, and hopes that the study will prove that such a fence is a foolish idea. Karen

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Buffalogal has it right. As of yet it is a proposed study. The bill is H.R. 4437 which passed the House on December 16, 2005. The Senate has not yet acted on the house bill. The relevant section:

SEC. 1003. NORTHERN BORDER STUDY.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a study on the construction of a state-of-the-art barrier system along the northern international land and maritime border of the United States and shall include in the study--

(1) the necessity of constructing such a system; and

(2) the feasibility of constructing the system.

(b) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the Congress on the study described in subsection (a).

SEC. 1002 of the bill authorizes construction of about 700 miles of fencing on the USA/Mexico border (which is not the entire border). In that 700 miles, the more mountainous areas may be exempt from a fence:

(C) EXCEPTION- If the topography of a specific area has an elevation grade that exceeds 10%, the Secretary may use other means to secure such area, including the use of surveillance and barrier tools.