American border guards working in security pre-clearance facilities in Canada would only rarely need to use proposed new powers around interrogation and strip searches, says Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. One part authorizes U.S. border guards to question anyone attempting to leave a pre-clearance area about their identity and their reasons for leaving. Another part authorizes U.S. guards to conduct a strip search of a traveller if Canadian border guards are not available to do it, or decline to do so. Speaking to senators, Goodale defended the new powers and argued they would only be used in a limited way. He said border guards need the expanded interrogation power to ensure people have a legitimate reason for entering a pre-clearance area in the first place.

Source: National Post November 28, 2017 17:15 UTC