A curious thing has happened in the world of airline security: New measures currently in place for U.S.-bound flights seem to not be a requirement for Canadians travelling domestically.
That is, a passenger who wants to fly from Regina to Minneapolis has his or her carry-on baggage restricted to small purses, coats, laptops, medication or medical devices.
But that same passenger flying from Regina to Calgary doesn’t face those restrictions.
The tighter security measures are currently in place as the U.S. deals with its latest major security scare: an apparent attempted terrorist attack, on Christmas Day, on a flight bound for the country. The attempt was thwarted.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian man, was arrested and charged after he allegedly tried to bring down the Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.
As we’ve seen passengers going to the States line up, preparing to undergo a pat-down before they board their flight, it does prompt some wonderment as to why the powers-that-be in Canada haven’t required the same pat-down, or carry-on baggage restrictions, for people travelling in this country.
It’s not that Canada has to imitate everything the U.S. does in regard to security, especially since it seems the U.S. may be reacting to something even President Barack Obama has said was a “systematic failure” to prevent in the first place.
In fact, many Canadians travelling in the country are likely breathing a sigh of relief that they aren’t facing the cumbersome line-ups, pat-downs and loss of most carry-on baggage.
It’s just that Canada is a country which has faced its own major security threats, including the “Toronto 18” plot to hit major targets in Ontario. The plot has been described several times during trials for the first men convicted of creating it.
Should there be more concern exhibited for the safety of people in Canada?
