Canada, U.S. agree to use each other’s troops in civil emergencies

By Ottawa Citizen ^ | February 22, 2008

[DeaconBenjamin]

Canada and the U.S. signed an agreement that paves the way for either nation to send troops across each other’s borders during an emergency. Some question why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal.

Neither the Canadian government nor the Canadian Forces announced the new agreement, signed Feb. 14 in Texas.

The U.S. Northern Command publicized the agreement outlining how its top officer, Gen. Gene Renuart, and Canadian Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, head of Canada Command, signed the plan, which allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency.

The new agreement has been greeted with suspicion by the left wing in Canada and the right wing in the U.S.

The left-leaning Council of Canadians, which campaigns against what it calls the increasing integration of the U.S. and Canadian militaries, raises concerns about the deal.

“It’s kind of a trend when it comes to issues of Canada-U.S. relations and contentious issues like military integration. We see that this government is reluctant to disclose information to Canadians that is readily available on American and Mexican websites,” said Stuart Trew, a researcher with the Council of Canadians.

Trew said the agreement could militarize civilian responses to emergency incidents. Work is also underway for the two nations to put in place a joint plan to protect common infrastructure such as roadways and oil pipelines.

“Are we going to see (U.S.) troops on our soil for minor potential threats to a pipeline or a road?” he asked.

Trew also noted the U.S. military does not allow its soldiers to operate under foreign command so there are questions about who controls American forces if posted in Canada. “We don’t know the answers because the government doesn’t want to even announce the plan,” he said.

[dforest]

This is a WTF? moment.

[catman67]

Not sure I like this idea one bit!!

[Graybeard58]

Hey Canada, we need some help on our southern border, send troops, it’s for sure zero won’t send any of our own. Can you lend a hand to a neighbor?

[cripplecreek]

I don’t fear Canadian soldiers but I prefer they stay on their side of the fence.

[dforest]

I know I don’t like it. This is just wrong.

[broken_arrow1]

A way around Posse Comitatus?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385) passed on June 18, 1878, after the end of Reconstruction, with the intention (in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807) of substantially limiting the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement. The Act prohibits most members of the federal uniformed services (today the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, and State National Guard forces when such are called into federal service) from exercising nominally state law enforcement, police, or peace officer powers that maintain “law and order” on non-federal property (states and their counties and municipal divisions) within the United States.

[ArrogantBustard]

I thoroughly dislike this idea ... both USA and Canada have large enough military establishments to send personnel into foreign war zones and natural disasters. I fail to see how either nation requires foreign military personnel to handle "emergencies".

I don't trust 0bama.

[MichaelP]

What??? Where the heck did this come from?

Mike

[The Sons of Liberty]

Here we go - “North American Union” - der Fuhrer Hussein 0bama Supreme Ruler

[skimbell]

I don't think that we've got too much to worry about down the line with Canada causing any trouble here, but I can sure see how this would help the U.S. add a few new states if it ever decided that it needed them.

Still, sounds like a pretty weird set up.

[DaiHuy]

i think your right, just another Obama end around play.
This way they can do things like round up guns or people without breaking US law, and later it will extend to Mexican as well as other troops.

[sam_paine]

How many FReepers have lulled themselves to sleep thinking that US soldiers would never fire on US citizens on order of a Janet Reno-like CinC?

When the shtf, they won’t be asked to. Behold the next “Elite Republican Guard” mowing down terrorists in Waco (from Canada.)

[Tennessee Nana]

Please tell me this is not an opening for a US-Mexico agreement too ???

[vanilla swirl]

“A way around Posse Comitatus?”

Yes!

There have been “goofy” youtube videos of foreign troops training on our soil for the last couple of years. Poo-poo-ed by most, but this appears legit. Just another nail in the house of the NWO/NAU. Welcome to the New Soviet States of North America. I’ll bet you didn’t notice did you?

[martian622]

Ughh. I don’t think the idea appeals to the soldiers and civilians of either country. The ruling class seems to like the idea so much they have to keep it, but low-profile.

[BitWielder1]

One one hand cooperation makes sense but I'm worried about who defines the emergency and who has jurisdiction.

I don't mind troops lending a hand with humanitarian help during natural disasters.

When the emergency is civil unrest, I want no foreign troops involved on either side of the border.

[Bean Counter]

Right....that’s the way to settle a situation down. Bring Canuckistani troops in to help. I can’t think of a better way to set off a hot revolution than to try and pull a stunt like this. Conversely, I would not want to be the poor National Guardsman who was mobilized and sent into Canuckistan to do anything.

I want to make note that right now in Libya, many of the soldiers shooting civilians are foreign troops and mercenaries that Kernel Kadaffy has imported for just such an emergency.

This is beyond outrageous and people in both Nations ought to be raising hell about it.

[Robert Drobot]

It's a lot easier for any foreign soldier to fire upon Americans. Why else are there German and Russian NATO troops housed on American soil ? The federal government is scared shitless that our own military wouldn't follow orders if push came to shove in our cities.

[Flavious_Maximus]

If the USA cannot handle it's own emergencies then how the hell is Canada going to help? I am very suspicious although I laugh at the thought of those Canucks thinking they have the military power to do anthing to the US.