(BeYourOwnLeader) – In a move that went largely unnoticed, the U.S. government unveiled a new  counter-narcotics strategy for the northern border which will work towards  closer cooperation with Canada in the war on drugs. This includes both countries  strengthening integrated cross-border intelligence sharing and law enforcement  operations. Canada has also released a comprehensive counter-terrorism plan  aimed at combating the threats of domestic and international violent extremism.  The separate U.S.-Canada undertakings are both tied to the Beyond the Border  deal and efforts to establish a North American security perimeter.

In  January, the Obama administration announced the National  Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy. A press  release by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) described how  the plan seeks, “to reduce the two-way flow of illicit drugs between the United  States and Canada by increasing coordination among Federal, state, local, and  tribal enforcement authorities, enhancing intelligence sharing between  counterdrug agencies, and strengthening ongoing counterdrug partnerships and  initiatives with the Government of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police  (RCMP).” Senator Charles Schumer proclaimed, “I pushed so hard for this strategy to be finalized because we have to  immediately stop the flow of drugs from Canada into New York, and it’s going to  take an inter-agency and international effort.” He added, “I’m pleased that this  agreement lays the groundwork for Canadian and American law enforcement to work  hand-in-glove to fight the drug trade.” Schumer has also endorsed  the new cross-border action plan. In addition, he is pushing to establish a Northern Border  Intelligence Center in Franklin County, NY to better coordinate efforts to  fight drug smuggling and other cross-border criminal activities.

While commenting on the new plan to disrupt the flow of  drugs over the U.S.-Canada border, ONDCP Deputy Director of State, Local and  Tribal Affairs, Ben Tucker explained  that, “By strengthening integrated cross-border law enforcement between our two  countries, the Strategy supports a key area of cooperation outlined by President  Obama and Prime Minister Harper in the Beyond  the Border declaration.” In December of last year, the leaders issued the  follow up Perimeter  Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan. The deal focuses on  addressing security threats early, facilitating trade, economic growth and jobs,  integrating cross-border law enforcement, as well as improving infrastructure  and cyber-security. As part of the agreement, both countries will, “create  integrated teams in areas such as intelligence and criminal investigations, and  an intelligence-led uniformed presence between ports of entry.” The U.S. and  Canada continue to expand the nature and scope of joint law enforcement  operations, along with intelligence collection and sharing.

The new  northern border drug strategy also called for increasing judicial cooperation,  improving information-sharing and extradition arrangements, as well as better  coordinating cross-border undercover operations and investigations with Canada.  It recommended working towards, “operational fusion with Canadian partners in  interoperable communications, technology, and activities. The ability to  integrate Canadian and U.S. technology, including sensors, videos, radio  communications, and radar feeds, will permit automated sharing of timely  information.” The document also argued that, “It is imperative that Canada and  the United States work together to expedite the sharing of information from  electronic communication service providers; and share information necessary to  lay the foundation for intercepting internet and voice communications.” While  various new measures are being put in place to thwart illegal drug, terrorist  and other criminal activity, they could easily be used to target anyone else the  government deems a threat.

The use of technology is emphasized throughout  the report, “Technical collection capabilities and programs along the Northern  border, such as thermal camera systems, License Plate Readers (LPRs), Mobile  Surveillance Systems, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), national distress and  command and control networks, and Remote Video Surveillance Systems will be  deployed and carefully coordinated among participating agencies.” The new  strategy also recommended enhancing air and maritime domain awareness and  response capabilities as another means of disrupting the flow of illegal drugs  across the U.S.-Canada border. In February of 2009, U.S. Customs and Border  Protection began using unmanned  aerial vehicles on the northern border and expanded  the program in January of last year. The UAV drones are being deployed in support of  border security, counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism missions. Congress  recently passed  a bill that will make it easier for the government to use surveillance drones  and it is projected that that there could be up to 30,000 in operation over U.S.  skies by 2020.

On February 9, the Conservative government released the Building  Resilience Against Terrorism: Canada’s Counter-terrorism Strategy. The new  plan is aimed at countering domestic, as well as international terrorism and  better protecting Canadian interests. It outlined counter-terrorism efforts  under four pillars, “prevent individuals from engaging in terrorism; detect the  activities of individuals who may pose a terrorist threat; deny terrorists the  means and opportunity to carry out their activities; and respond  proportionately, rapidly and in an organized manner to terrorist activities and  mitigate their effects.” The report stressed partnership and cooperation as the  key to achieving these goals which, “will require an integrated approach not  only by the Government of Canada, but by all levels of government, law  enforcement agencies, the private sector and citizens, in collaboration with  international partners and key allies, such as the United States.” The strategy  will, “serve to reinforce security initiatives between Canada and the U.S. and  will complement the Canada-U.S. Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter  Security and Competitiveness.”

The anti-terror policy identified Sunni  Islamist extremism as Canada’s top security threat. It also warned of homegrown  terrorists and lone wolf attackers, including issue-based domestic extremism  which it stated, “tends to be based on grievances—real or perceived—revolving  around the promotion of various causes such as animal rights, white supremacy,  environmentalism and anti-capitalism.” CTV News reported  that similar intelligence assessments can be found in documents regarding CSIS  and RCMP surveillance between 2005-2010 which categorized, “some animal rights,  environmental and aboriginal activists alongside terrorists that pose a threat  to national security.” The documents were obtained through access to information  requests. They became the basis of the research paper Making up  Terror Identities where authors Jeffrey Monaghan and Kevin Walby voiced  concerns on how, “intelligence agencies have blurred the categories of  terrorism, extremism and activism into an aggregate threat matrix. This blurring  of threat categories expands the purview of security intelligence agencies,  leading to net-widening where a greater diversity of actions are governed  through surveillance processes and criminal law.”

The never ending war on  drugs and war on terrorism are being used to justify the huge police state  security apparatus being assembled. This includes the militarization of the  northern border and plans for a North American security perimeter. In the name  of national security, there has been a steady erosion of civil liberties and  privacy rights in both the U.S. and Canada. Our freedoms are under assault. The  amount of information being collected and shared on all aspects of our daily  lives has expanded and is being stored in massive databases. Sweeping new  surveillance powers targeting terrorists and other criminals are being  increasingly turned against those who are critical of government policy. There  is a concerted effort to demonize political opponents, activists, protesters and  other peaceful groups. We are witnessing the criminalization of dissent where  those who oppose the government’s agenda are being labelled as terrorists and a  threat to security.

Source: Be Your Own Leader

Dana Gabriel is an activist and independent researcher. He writes about trade, globalization, sovereignty, security, as well as other issues. Contact: beyourownleader@hotmail.com

Related articles by Dana Gabriel

Strengthening U.S.-Canada Security Interests
Perimeter Security and the Militarization of the Northern Border
Towards a North American Security Perimeter
Pretext for a North American Homeland Security Perimeter

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