Canada envoy embarrassed by delays in Parliament over preclearance bill

OTTAWA — Canada’s envoy to the U.S. says he is embarrassed it is taking so long for Parliament to pass a new law that would pave the way for greater preclearance at the border.

Ambassador David MacNaughton said this week he leaned on U.S lawmakers to pass a law that would allow passengers to be precleared at a greater number of airports to allow the speedy flow of people across the 49th parallel. But Canada’s version of the bill has been before the House of Commons public safety committee for several months.

MacNaughton told the Senate foreign affairs and trade committee that he regularly gets asked by Americans where the accompanying Canadian legislation is, and he’s embarrassed to say it is not ready.

MacNaughton said he exerted renewed pressure on MPs this week in Ottawa.

“Please hurry it up, because I’m a bit embarrassed. I leaned on the Americans so heavily and now they’re coming back and saying, ‘Where’s yours?”’ he said of his conversations.

Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos, who raised the issue, said the Senate would do its job more quickly.

“I know the legislation is coming slowly from the House,” he said.

At the moment, passengers flying to U.S. cities through eight major Canadian airports can be precleared there by U.S. Customs.

Some 400,000 travellers cross the Canada-U.S. border each day, and the preclearance plan is designed to speed that up and make it easier.