Felix the Cat
02-01-2006, 02:33 AM
Tories to fulfill promise to arm border guards (http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060125/border_patrols_060125)
Conservative justice critic Vic Toews announced Wednesday that Canadian border guards will be armed as soon as possible.
The move will make good on a Tory campaign promise to beef up border security and respond to border guards' long standing plea to carry weapons.
"It's simply a practical matter of how soon these officers can be trained and the firearms issued to them," Toews said.
"That's our commitment and I trust our (justice) minister will do exactly that."
Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper has not yet appointed his cabinet.
Toews quick announcement, made just two days after the party was elected into office, may have been speeded up by an incident Tuesday when two murder suspects in the U.S. made a run for the Canadian border.
The fugitives were stopped by a police shootout mere metres before the border.
Canadian guards at the Peace Arch border crossing, and at three others crossings, walked off the job in fear of their own safety when they heard the suspects were headed their way.
They were unapologetic and warned it could happen again.
Conservative justice critic Vic Toews announced Wednesday that Canadian border guards will be armed as soon as possible.
The move will make good on a Tory campaign promise to beef up border security and respond to border guards' long standing plea to carry weapons.
"It's simply a practical matter of how soon these officers can be trained and the firearms issued to them," Toews said.
"That's our commitment and I trust our (justice) minister will do exactly that."
Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper has not yet appointed his cabinet.
Toews quick announcement, made just two days after the party was elected into office, may have been speeded up by an incident Tuesday when two murder suspects in the U.S. made a run for the Canadian border.
The fugitives were stopped by a police shootout mere metres before the border.
Canadian guards at the Peace Arch border crossing, and at three others crossings, walked off the job in fear of their own safety when they heard the suspects were headed their way.
They were unapologetic and warned it could happen again.