Walling off the U.S. from Canada is “a legitimate issue for us to look at,” Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said on “Meet the Press” during the weekend. ADVERTISING Walling off the U.S. from Canada is “a legitimate issue for us
Walling off the U.S. from Canada is “a legitimate issue for us to look at,” Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said on “Meet the Press” during the weekend.
That’s right, Canada.
Why stop there?
If immigration from the north is as big of an issue as Walker claims, he should examine walling off the east and west, too — every inlet, bay and harbor, all 12,500 miles of coastline. After all, the U.S. Census Bureau reports immigrants from China and India, many with student or work visas, have overtaken Mexicans (and even those pesky Canadians) as the largest groups coming into the U.S.
Expensive? Yes, but we’ve got to get tough — or show we’re as tough as Donald Trump.
This is, of course, “a ridiculous notion,” as Sen. Rand Paul said about the Canadian wall.
The U.S. and Canada share the longest international border in the world, at 5,525 miles, traversing forests, mountains and Great Lakes. Where are you going to plant all that chain-link and razor wire out in Lake Superior? It can’t be walled off. Protecting that border hasn’t been an issue since the War of 1812.
The threat of terrorists infiltrating our country from the north, though a concern, often is overblown. As the Globe and Mail of Toronto noted in its account of Walker’s comments, “The most famous incident of a terrorist crossing from Canada was failed millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam, although several American political figures over the years have repeated the erroneous claim about the 9/11 hijackers coming from the north.”
Canadians don’t appreciate idle talk of a northern “wall.” As the Globe and Mail reported, a third of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product comes from trade with the U.S., and border measures that took effect after the Sept. 11 attacks “caused a ripple-effect that still hasn’t completely subsided.” Canadian defense minister Jason Kenney told an Ottawa news conference that, “Of course we would vigorously oppose any thickening of the border.”
There are legitimate concerns with immigration policy and security at the southern border with Mexico, and there are thoughtful proposals and the need for a healthy debate to address those concerns. But a taller wall and stricter enforcement alone will not solve the nation’s immigration system. Solving that will require sensible and humane policies that keep accountable the 11 million people already living in the United States illegally but also taking stock of their value to the nation.
We agree with Paul’s assessment. The Kentucky Republican, who like Walker is running for president, told the Boston Herald:
“There have been a lot of dumb ideas put out. One that the Mexicans will pay for a wall, (which) was probably the dumbest of dumb ideas. It is sort of like everybody is now competing to say, ‘Oh no, I’ll put them in camps. Oh no, I’ll throw them out. Oh no, I’ll put everyone in jail. And I’ll have an electric fence, and I’ll do this.’ And it’s like, you know, the biggest thing we need to do is have a functioning immigration system, with a good work program.”
The education of a presidential candidate continues. We hope Walker finds a higher road, of his own choosing, rather than continue trying in vain to pass Trump on the right. It would make for a more meaningful conversation about real problems that need to be addressed.
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
