Let's be frank about terrorism

"There is no substitute for frank acknowledgement of the extent of the problems we face in dealing with terrorism on our soil. The Americans know in detail what we are doing well and what we are not doing well. It is all out there in the public domain -- more often than not in the form of statements from our own officials. A case in point was the revelation on Monday by the head of the Canadian Border Security Agency that in the first six months of this year, 300 cars drove into Canada from the United States without being screened and that the police were only about to catch up with 70 of them to determine if they were a security threat.

One of the most persistent and knowledgeable critics of Canada's inadequate response to the threat of terrorism has been Colin Kenny, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security. Although a Liberal appointee, Kenny has never hesitated to tell whatever government is in office just how much remains to be done to protect Canadians."