Not So Friendly Skies

Up until now, when a person flies from a Canadian airport to any destination that requires using USA airspace, their names had to be compared with a list of “No Fly” names submitted to the airlines from the USA. This means simply flying through USA airspace, not landing in the USA. If a flagged name came up, the airline had to notify Homeland Security.

This was bad enough but now we have a Bill before the House Of Commons that, if passed, gives the USA access to passenger lists and final say on who is allowed to board any flight that enters USA airspace. Passenger lists must be presented to the USA 72 hours prior to departure for approval of each and every passenger.

This means if you are flying from Canada to Mexico, South America, Cuba or even into Toronto from most of Canada, you are crossing into USA airspace and Homeland Security has final say if you are allowed. It also means an end to "Last Minute" deals on vacation packages if the time is too short to submit passenger's names.

So who is on the “No Fly” list? There are not that many known terrorists so the list must be inflated with many other names. Political activists? Members of certain political parties? Certain nationalities? People who have called George Bush an ass? Who knows!

If this Bill passes then the hundreds of Americans who vacation in Cuba by flying from Canada will be “outed” to their own Government and either kicked off the flight or interrogated when they return home.

There is substantial opposition to this Bill growing among the Opposition Parties which in fact form the Majority in Canada’s Government. It is possible this Bill will fail in a vote or even more likely that it will be withdrawn by the Government. Lets hope!