WATCH ABOVE: 16×9’s “Suicide Profiling”
A Toronto woman who was denied access to the United States when border agents learned of a suicide attempt in her past, is pleased that this may no longer happen to Canadian travelers in the future.
Lois Kamenitz told 16×9 she is happy that Toronto Police have taken steps to make sure that US Homeland Security will no longer have access to information about most suicide attempts on a Canadian police database.
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READ MORE: Suicide profiling at US border investigated
Years ago, border agents at Toronto’s Pearson Airport told Kamenitz she could not enter the US until she submitted her full medical record to a doctor handpicked by the US government. That story was the subject of a 16×9 investigation.
“I am pleased,” Kamenitz said, “that I could be part of a huge battle that has resulted in some positive changes being made.”
That battle was taken up by former Ontario Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian, who criticized Toronto police for allowing records of suicide attempts in their jurisdiction to be placed on the national database that US border agents can see.
Kamenitz said she still lives with “some measure of uncertainty” about traveling because her medical records remain in US government hands.
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