Ottawa OK’d pact to let U.S. arm Great Lakes

[NNN0LHI]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/531371.html


The U.S. Coast Guard’s plans to arm boats on the Great Lakes with machine-guns — a measure that has drawn fire from Canadian residents — were sanctioned by Ottawa three years ago, officials from both countries confirmed Thursday.

Earlier this year, the American coast guard started training exercises on the lakes with live .30-calibre machine-guns attached to several small boats.

The practice was temporarily suspended until November after complaints from residents and Canadian politicians, including Toronto’s mayor who claimed the move violated a treaty signed after the War of 1812.

But the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard said it’s become necessary to protect the border that runs through the lakes, and he said the treaty no longer applies.

"There has been an agreement since 1814 that those types of weapons would not be used in the Great Lakes," Admiral Thad Allen said Thursday after three days of meetings with Canadian Coast Guard officials in Halifax.

[fasttense]

1. We have got to keep those Canadians from crossing the border

and stealing our jobs. Oh wait, wrong border.

[Oreo]

2. There was a story 2 weeks ago about CG firing guns near Duluth, MN

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/673867.html

They're not planning to do it... they already are

Coast Guard fires machine guns off Two Harbors
Crew members on two U.S. Coast Guard boats fired machine guns at a floating target on Lake Superior, drawing verbal fire from the mayor of Duluth.

Last update: September 13, 2006 – 5:35 AM

TWO HARBORS, Minn. — Crew members on two U.S. Coast Guard boats fired machine guns at a floating target on Lake Superior, drawing criticism from the mayor of Duluth.

Coast Guard crews fired the M-240 machine guns about eight miles offshore from Two Harbors, said Chief Petty Office Robert Lanier, spokesman for the Coast Guard's Great Lakes district, based in Cleveland.

Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson said he had been led to believe there would be no live fire exercises during the Coast Guard's extended public comment period on the issue, which runs through Nov. 13.

Lanier said the target practice was announced on marine band radio Channel 16 more than two hours before firing began and every 10 minutes during the exercise.

[bif]

3. Gotta keep those Frostbacks out of here!