Border Insecurity

Re: "But bakery owner Mary Ann Cuderman worries about what else might be passing, especially given public concern that infrastructure could be a terrorist target. A citizens group she heads, the Windsor West Community Truck Watch Coalition, wants closer scrutiny. "How do you feel secure," she says, "knowing that anybody, at any time, could drive right up on that bridge?"<br />
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I thought this worry must be an Ontario and Ottawa thing. I live near the border out west and no one has ever mentioned feeling insecure about the border or its "infrastructure". The only complaints that seem common are that the border guards have progressed from being bored and world-weary to being outright jerks at times. Ms Arrillaga is an award winning writer for AP based in Phoenix, Arizona and has done some interesting investigative reporting about the violence and brutality of the illegal immigrant smuggling on that southern border. I don't doubt her facts but I hope that this piece was not clouded by another situation entirely.<br />
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I'm sure it's not, that's why I mention that it must be an Ontario phenomenon. I mean really, what is a "Windsor West Community Truck Watch Coalition" and why is Mary Ann Cuderman so worried about terrorists blowing up infrastructure near her Bakery? At first I thought it was like a train spotting hobby, but for trucks, bridges, and terrorists. Or, maybe a form of citizens on patrol. Nope, Ms Cudman has actually written a Paper called "Border Communities in Crisis" a "Citizens' Inquiry On The Future Of Canada-U.S. Relations". This Coalition was formed in January, 2003 in response to the government's new 9 point plan to increase the heavy truck traffic through certain Windsor neighbourhoods, along with building specific infrastructure such as street expansion, no parking, no-post concrete barriers and such to make this feasible. So I was wrong, the main concern for this group is about traffic, not terrorists. Ms Cuderman concludes in her report, "The Windsor West Community Truck Watch is committed for whatever time it takes- until our goal of immediate measures to alleviate the pressure of truck traffic on our municipal streets and our long term mandate of obtaining a 6 lane crossing, outside the city, in an underpopulated(sic) and under developed area."(1)<br />
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Clearly, Ms Arrillaga, Ms Cuderman, and Colin Kenney have found common ground over their terrorist worries. Hopefully they will have enough clout to get the Ambassador Bridge closed and relocated to another town near Windsor. <br />
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(1) <a href="http://www.canadians.org/display_document.htm?COC_token=coc_token&id=1044&isdoc=1&catid=356">http://www.canadians.org/display_document.htm?COC_token=coc_token&id=1044&isdoc=1&catid=356</a><br />
(Retrieved July 5, 2005)<br />
Talus<br />

'Billions in security investment' - where? what? The only thing we've heard about lately is that they want to make more cuts to the number of Customs personnel at the borders.

This money hasn't shown up in the RCMP, Military or any local police forces. The airports don't appear any more secure than they were.

Did the Liberal Party simply 'secure' more votes with this money or what?

Bush NEEDS another 9-11, to keep the people revved. That's explanation enough for the poor security. And if that doesn't work, just like in Orwell's <i><b>1984</b></i>, he'll set off someting nuclear on his own people if he has to....but in a Democrat or northern Republican state.<p>---<br>RickW