READER HAS LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR COCAINE CARRIER

I am glad that the police need a warrant to search my home. I have
nothing to hide. But I don't relish the thought of my door being
arbitrarily kicked in without some sort of cause and a record of the
reason given to justify the search.

But when I cross the border, particularly into the U.S., I presume
that certain of the privacy and rights afforded to me in my day-to-day
life will be forfeited.

Perhaps I'm being pessimistic. But I pretty much expect that a border
guard may search my car simply because I remind him of an
ex-girlfriend he dislikes.

Maybe they've picked a random number, say every 10th car, to search.
Maybe those big grey boxes installed near the guard booths are
listening devices. I also wouldn't be surprised to see drug-sniffing
dogs walking up and down border lineups.

I am usually the first to cry out against Big Brother. But I won't
even cross into the U.S. or back with a rolling paper in my car --so I
just can't find a lot of sympathy for someone carrying 50 kilos of
cocaine.

Keira Byrnes, Vancouver