Chicago Sun Times Editorial - Passport-free trips won't be on itinerary

Chicago Sun Times Editorial - Passport-free trips won't be on itinerary
Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times
January 23, 2007



Canadians and Americans who reside along the 49th parallel have always bragged they live beside the longest undefended border in the world. For years, unencumbered by passports and other proof of citizenship, Torontonians have gone for a day's shopping in Buffalo and the denizens of Plattsburgh, Vt., have headed north to Montreal for a night on the town.

Today that friendly history will change -- initially only for those who fly. Americans traveling by air to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean will need to show their passports when they fly back home. Those traveling by land or sea will not have to supply passports until next year. That means for a brief period, Detroiters will still be able to head to the casinos of Windsor, just across the river, without tucking their passports in their pockets.

Understandably there is a rush to get passports -- only 27 percent of Americans have one. The Canadian passport office has received 21,000 applications a day over the past few weeks. The move to require a uniform identification when crossing our neighbors' borders is disappointing but necessary. Passports will allow Customs officials to easily scan the documents looking for counterfeits. With the borders so porous -- remember the terrorist who crossed from Canada intending to blow up the Los Angeles airport? -- the verification of identity is crucial.