{"id":242823,"date":"2025-07-06T13:55:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T13:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/242823\/"},"modified":"2025-07-06T13:55:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T13:55:34","slug":"how-canadas-election-may-have-left-gaps-in-u-s-travel-advice-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/242823\/","title":{"rendered":"How Canada\u2019s election may have left \u2018gaps\u2019 in U.S. travel advice – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

Newly-released documents show Global Affairs Canada<\/a> knew it was facing criticism from Canadians days into the federal election over a \u201clack of information\u201d on travel advice to the United States after the Trump administration launched a border crackdown, including enhanced security at ports of entry.<\/p>\n

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But with Canada in a caretaker government at the time, bureaucrats weighed the potential \u201csensitivities\u201d of acting during a federal election campaign that revolved around U.S.-Canada relations.<\/p>\n

Documents obtained by Global News through access to information laws show the department was aware Canadians were concerned about visiting the U.S., but federal officials lagged non-governmental organizations in providing citizens with guidance on the risk of searches of electronics and the possibility of detention.<\/p>\n

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Prime Minister Mark Carney triggered a federal election on March 23.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Canada updated its travel advisory on April 4 urging Canadians to \u201cexpect scrutiny\u201d from U.S. border agents.<\/p>\n

The newly-released documents raise questions about whether Global Affairs should have updated that advice sooner, given concerns around U.S. travel and the high-profile detention of at least one Canadian by U.S. border agents last March.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re seeing here is that they were slow on this and you can\u2019t be slow. You have to do your job,\u201d said immigration lawyer and founder of Jain Immigration Law in Toronto Ravi Jain.<\/p>\n

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Global Affairs Canada had considered how to respond, \u201crecognizing the requirement the department has to maintain accurate travel advice for Canadians, at the same time as any sensitivities to any communications during a writ period.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadians have been critical about the lack of information in the U.S. TAA [Travel Advice and Advisories] about the perceived risks of travelling to the U.S. at this time,\u201d reads an email dated April 2, a week and a half after Carney triggered a federal election.<\/p>\n

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But federal officials acknowledged law firms and post-secondary institutions had already acted.<\/p>\n

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Bureaucrats noted \u201cleading migration lawyers and universities\u201d had issued \u201ctheir own cautionary advice\u201d to clients and staff by then, the documents obtained by Global News show. That advice often included warnings electronics could be searched.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said the department provided \u201cup-to-date travel information that reflected publicly available information by U.S. government agencies and officials. The intent of the updates was to ensure Canadians have accurate information about traveling to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

But MacLeod did not answer questions about whether the writ period affected how and when information was shared with Canadians.<\/p>\n

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Back in the spring, Jain was one of the lawyers urging the federal government to update its advisory: \u201cI understand the political sensitivities, but our first responsibility is to our citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Federal officials discussed closing \u201cinformation gaps\u201d and updating Canadians on what they described as four \u201cthemes\u201d: visa applications; enhanced security at border points, including electronics; new U.S. info for stays beyond 30 days; guidance on carrying ID and evidence of status in the U.S. in light of the risk related to ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operations.<\/p>\n

On April 4 \u2014 two days after the email was sent to staff at Global Affairs \u2014 Ottawa made its updated U.S. travel advice public, warning Canadian citizens could be detained while awaiting deportation if they fail to meet entry or exit requirements.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndividual border agents often have significant discretion in making those determinations. U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements. Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices.\u201d<\/p>\n

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