Starting in December, passengers on Canadian airlines flying to, from or even over the United States without landing there will be allowed to board the aircraft only after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has determined they are not terrorists.
Secure Flight, the newest weapon in the U.S.'s war on terrorism, gives the United States unprecedented power over who can board planes that fly over U.S. airspace -even if the flights originate and land in Canada.
The program, set to take effect globally in December, was created as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, adopted by the U.S. Congress in 2004.
Canada's Parliament never adopted or even discussed the Secure Flight program - even though Secure Flight transfers the authority to screen passengers, and their personal information, from domestic airlines to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The European Parliament, on the other hand, has consistently voiced objections to the Secure Flight plan.
When asked about the program, Transport Canada, the federal department in charge of Canadian airlines, deferred to Public Safety Canada.
After refusing to comment on Secure Flight or the government's position on the U.S. program, David Charbonneau, a Public Safety Canada spokesperson, said: "Canada works in partnership with the United States, as well as with other allies, on aviation safety and security.
Read more...
earlier:
The Dawn of Cyber Fascism
