New U.S. border fees denounced as ‘nonsensical'

[CHIMO]

TORONTO — A U.S. Department of Agriculture plan to levy new fees on air travellers and commercial shipments from Canada is a nonsensical, self-serving measure that could clog the border and discourage air travel, the Canadian airline and trucking industries warned Friday.

The U.S. government said it intends to tighten agricultural inspections at the Canada-U.S. border in an effort to guard against the perceived threat of pests, disease and even bioterrorism.

As a result, commercial products and air travellers crossing the border will be subject to “user fees” as of Nov. 24.

Melissa O'Dell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Agriculture Department's animal and plant health inspection service noted that the surcharges have been in place since the early 1990s, and Canada has been exempt until now.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060901.wborder0901/BNStory/National/home

What! Pine beetles!

[daleo]

1. Harper caved in on softwood/NAFTA

It is no surprise that the U.S. took that as a signal of weakness. This $5 air passenger fee would be overturned by a NAFTA panel, but Harper has shown he has given up on those, anyway.