OTTAWA (CP) - Customs officials will do whatever it takes - even target males with links to certain Muslim countries - to keep terrorists out of Canada, the federal minister responsible says.
Sources confirmed that Customs officials are checking the country of origin of travellers entering Canada from other countries - but they denied that the practice amounts to racial profiling.
Officials are also recommending Canadian visitors to the United States carry the "highest level" of identification they have when crossing the border,
Revenue Minister Martin Cauchon stopped short of directly confirming reports that Customs officials at borders and airports have been asked to be especially tough questioning men who have spent time in one of 16 Muslim countries.
Reports suggest an internal profiling bulletin has also asked guards to keep a close eye on men with aviation experience, scientists in nuclear energy or defence and those with education in engineering, computers, physics or chemistry.
But asked about the reports, Cauchon said it's all part of "risk assessment" to determine who is admissible to Canada.
"Risk assessment means use all the tools that we have," he said.
"It means a lot of .x .x . examinations, more targetting more licence plate readings."
"We don't have any way out but to use all the tools that we have (at) our disposal. It's true at the land border, it's true as well at the airport."
One Canadian Arab group says it has a problem with the idea of what some are calling racial profiling to determine who gets tougher questions at the border.
"If it's a policy that is directed at people of certain origin, then that's troubling," said Jehad Eliwewi of the Canadian Arab Federation.
"To have a general policy that people from these countries are people to watch for, the presumption of innocence is completely frustrated."
Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan said officials are doing what needs to be done without harming anyone.
"We are doing the job, we're doing what Canadians expect us to do.
"There is no racial profiling, not by gender or religion.
Meanwhile, officials have always recommended that Canadians take a passport when travelling to other countries - including the U.S. - but Canadians routinely entered that country with as little as a driver's licence or no identification at all.
That's all changed now, said the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"Passports would be the highest level," said Winston Barris of the INS in Buffalo, N.Y. "Any other government identification is generally acceptable unless there is some unforeseen issue."
He said letters from employers would also be helpful.
"The laws haven't changed and the requirements haven't changed," he said.
"(But) people are required to establish that they are a citizen of whatever country they claim."
A travel bulletin issued by Foreign Affairs two days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks also said that passports or other citizenship and photographic identification "will be required."