JUNE 20, 2007

       Canada’s “no-fly” list may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now with it rolling out and questions surfacing about its accuracy, many are left wondering if it’s something that will actually keep air travellers safe.

       I may not have the colour of skin or ethnicity that many attribute to being a terrorist.  While that sentence may sound racist, I’m sure you know what I mean.  I’m a twentysomething white male with an average build who, from what I’ve been told, doesn’t appear to be threatening.

       When I’ve travelled there’s no trouble at security or customs in the airport or anywhere along the line for that matter.  Had I had a different colour skin, would that be an issue?  When I flew to Los Angeles not too long ago, I can attest that yes, this may have played a factor in a group of Middle Eastern travellers getting a second look.

       Further to that, that is merely a generalization that many people would make, given stories we’ve seen in the news about airplane hijackers.  For the record, I am not saying that these people should be made to feel uncomfortable or viewed as terrorists solely based on appearance.

       Even though I have no criminal record and have not done anything that would make the government “red flag” me, there’s still a fear that somehow my name will appear on this list and get stuck in an airport and not be able to fly somewhere.

       When such a list is introduced, will we know if we are on it or not?  Or will we face the embarrassment of having a plane ticket booked and then be turned away by an airline attendant when we try to board a plane?

       Whether this is because somebody has the same name as me and it’s supposed to be the other person on the list or if someone in a place of power with the government doesn’t like me for some reason and adds me to the list, there’s that paranoia that I could be permanently grounded in this country.  Presumably it would then be up to me to plead my case and prove I’m not this named person on the list, much like I would have to do in an identity theft situation.

       To me it just seems like lately people have to do more explaining of themselves than is really necessary and we suspect everyone as being guilty until it can be proven otherwise.