
Canadians travelling to or through U.S. pay attention to their withering rights - colinprince
https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-border-crossing-rights-1.5382547
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<Travellers on their way from Canada into the United States should be aware
that these changes, ostensibly enacted to increase the efficiency of travel
and trade across the boundary, give U.S. officials dangerously extended power
in Customs preclearance areas on Canadian ground.

U.S. officials can now carry sidearms in these preclearance zones, conduct
strip searches, record and keep passenger information, and detain Canadian
citizens.

Even if a Canadian official is "unwilling" to conduct a search or has deemed a
detainment unnecessary, a U.S. official can override that call. In other
words, Canadian law enforcement can now be countermanded within Canada by
Americans.

This new authority also allows U.S. border guards to deny Canadians their
right of withdrawal.

Before the amendment to the law was enacted, if a person felt at all
uncomfortable in the course of preclearance questioning she could simply
leave, retracting her intention to cross the border with no penalty.

Now, as a result of amendments, the guard is entitled to detain her if he
finds "reasonable grounds" to do so. And the request to leave in itself could
be construed as reasonable grounds.>

