OTTAWA — Last Wednesday The federal government announced $250 million in new security spending as a result of last month’s attacks on the United States.
“We have no quarrel with the people of Afghanistan. And they have no quarrel with us. Our dispute is with the terrorists. And with the Taliban regime that insists on giving them safe harbour,” said Prime Minister Jean Chretien in an address to the 47th Annual NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley, chair of the cabinet security committee, announced the funding but wouldn’t give much more information.
“It’s all security related and all in the current fiscal year,” he said.
The first details are to be unveiled Thursday when Transport Minister David Collenette and two other cabinet ministers hold news conferences at airports in Montreal and Toronto.
They are to detail enhanced airport security, likely to include high-tech bomb-detector units. Other measures will be revealed in coming days.
Sources said changes to immigrant identification cards, currently easily forged, will be announced Friday while passport changes will come next week.
Manley said the 10-member security committee also approved continuing funding to add 300 staff in various agencies.
And he said the committee has completed preparations necessary to get a new anti-terrorism bill before the House of Commons on Monday.
