Canada: Authorization of US troops on Canadian Soil

It seems the Harper and Bush governments have signed a no-longer secret agreement on February 14th authorizing the use of the foreign government's military on domestic soil. Canadian Troops on American soil and American troops on Canadian soil. The result of which is the further integration of the Canadian and American militaries as well as possible abuses of power.

There is distrust of this agreement on both sides of the border. On the Canadian side of the border there is a distrust of the American military and how it has been used around the world. According to many polls Canadians want to be less connected militarily to the United States and want to be more independent working with many other countries around the world. There is a fear that the American military may be called in to quell civilian disturbances such as protests opposing corporations, further integration, the control of Canada's natural resources or dissent against foreign policy decisions. In the United States people feel that Canadian forces may be called in to also quell local dissent and aren't bound by the same laws preventing the use of military and military searches in civilian situations.

I don't doubt the importance of the military during natural crises, but why we need a foreign power especially one that has had serious abuses of power is dangerous for Canadians. When we are in a period when the use of our military is being so hotly debated it is undemocratic and an abuse of power to sign an agreement allowing foreign military on our soil without parliamentary or public consent. This seems just one more step in a North American Union.

Image of Bush, Fox, and Harper at the Security Prosperity Partnership