Parts of U.S.-Canadian Border Disappear in Brush

[kskiska]

PORTLAND, Me., April 3 — A small agency responsible for marking and maintaining the expansive border between the United States and Canada has fallen so far behind it may never catch up without more money and resources.

The agency, the International Boundary Commission, has warned that border markers are deteriorating and parts of the border are becoming overgrown by trees and brush to the point that the border's location could be lost in some areas.

Officials of the agency said they had not been able to carry out a five-year plan for turning things around because they did not have enough money. The agency, which received $1.23 million this year from the United States and the same amount from Canada, will very likely ask that its budget be doubled, said Michael O'Sullivan, who is Canada's commissioner for the agency.

"For a number of years we have formally recognized that we're losing the battle," Mr. O'Sullivan said.

The agency, consisting of two commissioners, six field engineers and a small support staff, is responsible for surveying and maintaining more than 8,000 monuments and reference points on the 5,525-mile border.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2004/04/04/national/04BORD.html

[PartyPooper]

1. Maybe Junior should be clearing brush at the Canadian border

instead of chopping hay at his pigsty in Crawford. :evilgrin:

On the plus side, perhaps Canada can claim some of the U.S. soil for libruls! ;-)

[Frances]

2. Is it possible that Sunnyvale CA

is really just inside the Canadian border?

[montana_hazeleyes]

5. Are you in Sunnyvale Frances?

I'm very close by.:hi:

[Frances]

14. Yes I have lived in Sunnyvale for about a year

Where are you?

[montana_hazeleyes]

18. Just now checked in again,Frances

I'm in Palo Alto. Been here all my life.Born here. I have a grandaughter named Frances. She's only 6.

It feels comforting knowing there are DUers nearby!:hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. Preferably with

chains around his ankles. :evilgrin:

[Lisa]

17. gosh, we'd never hear the end of it if he hurt himself ...

Remember -- this is the guy who requires a doctor and nurse to be present while he is working, PLUS at least two Secret Service agents who guide falling branches away from his head (I'm not kidding!)


http://www.news-star.com/stories/081102/New_17.shtml

And even after that, he STILL managed to scratch up his face before the meeting in Mexico. That man is a walking disaster area -- none of the forestry workers and firefighters I know would feel comfortable with him on their crew.

[kskiska]

3. I know a whole bunch of Canucks

from New Brunswick who are constantly back and forth on the back roads in Maine. They come down to Connecticut to work as roofers for their brother who lives there.

[yardwork]

4. Let me get this straight.....

We have hundreds of billions of dollars to spend on a war in Iraq to "make the U.S. safe from terrorists" even though there were no terrorists in Iraq until we invaded it and caused war-related turmoil and infrastructure collapse.

But there is no money to maintain our border with Canada, even though Canada is home to many known terrorist cells, including links to those who attacked us on 9/11 and attempted to attack us on December 31, 1999?

We went halfway around the world to attack a country that was no threat to us, but we leave our borders untended and unwatched?

I'm not surprised that EVERY SINGLE THING the chimp administration does is stupid, venal, and malicious.

I'm only surprised that any person in this country - any person at all - still supports him.

Edited to say: This post is not intended to cause any offense whatsoever to our neighbors in Canada. I love you guys!

[Kali]

8. trust me

its the same on the southern border, though they are making more of an effort at playing the game. Its just as ineffective but we get more cops (federal) hassling people down this way. They aren't stopping anybody from crossing but they occasionally make 'em try a couple times. Sometimes it kills a few, especially in the summer. But basically its all a sham.

[glarius]

11. I hope you're kidding about the following statement:

"Canada is home to many known terrorist cells, including links to those who attacked us on 9/11 and attempted to attack us on December 31, 1999?"
The fact is that due to the bullshit spouted by the Bushies, many Americans believe this crap...Actually NONE of those who attacked you or attempted to, came from Canada....

[freeforall]

12. Ummm...

If I recall correctly, the "terrorists coming from Canada" story was untrue.

Yeah, we have cells all over the place and ship terrorists down to the US. They come here because of the health care.

<sarcasm/>

Really! I also recall that most of the terrorists were in the US prior to 9/11, and they didn't come from Canada.

I think America should look in her own backyard. But with a government that is not known for taking responsibility, what can we expect.

There are bad asses in every country.

[Eye and Monkey]

13. Perhaps if Halliburton became interested in clearing brush -

the funding could be found rather quickly, I would imagine.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. Easy, now. After all of the lies we've been told, do you STILL believe...

...there are "terrorist cells" in Canada?

It's a lot more likely that "terrorist cells" are operating out of the subfloors of the Pentagon:

Operation Northwoods
<http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/jointchiefs_010501.html>
<http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/Northwoods.html>
<http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/>

...think about it.

[w4rma]

6. If I were a Canuk I'd be fine with this. It would only mean that Canada

would be able to grab up some U.S. land while noone is watching.

I'm not a Cannuk, tho, so don't you folks get any ideas. :hi:

[The Zanti Regent]

9. Please take it all

I'd rather be ruled by Paul Martin than The Talking Asshole!

[Voltaire99]

10. Quick! Let's move the border south...

...while they're not looking.

That way we Minnesotans can be led by a sane federal government.

[MaineDem]

16. I'm only 50 miles from the border

I know people who have crossed it for years without even knowing. Now, one poor Canadian is banned from ever entering the US because he crossed "illegally" to get gas at a station that is literally down the street from his house but is in the US. He'd been going there forever. He didn't drive all the way to the official border crossing (which was closed, by the way) before he drove across the street to the gas station. What total crap!