Landscaping wall turns into political, legal mess (involving Canada, Mike McKay, White House firing)

[Barrett808]

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Landscaping wall turns into political, legal mess
Canada, even White House involved in dispute
By COLIN McDONALD
P-I REPORTER

Shirley-Ann and Herbert Leu happily set about planning the landscaping for their new retirement home in tiny Blaine -- a nice lawn, some roses, fringed by a wood fence.

What the couple never could have anticipated: triggering a multinational dispute that would reach as high as the White House.

"I was expecting to come here and retire," Shirley-Ann Leu said. "I wasn't expecting this to be an international incident."

Eight months after the Leus started fixing up their backyard, all they have today is a pile of dirt and a concrete retaining wall. It's the wall that's at the heart of the flap.

Erected 7 feet from the U.S.-Canada border, the wall drew the attention of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police last winter. Mounties dutifully reported to the International Boundary Commission that the structure encroached on the American side of the 20-foot-wide border buffer zone, known as "the vista."

The extent of the encroachment: 30 inches.

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/324049_borderflap18.html

[Raven]

1. Gitmo for those dirty terrorists!!! nt

[HereSince1628]

2. Canada is STILL not happy with the US spin on the war of 1812.

GET OVER IT!

[LiberalFighter]

3. Firing by Bush rejected by Whatcom County boundary official

Firing by Bush rejected by Whatcom County boundary official

A dispute over a backyard wall in Whatcom County has reached all the way to the White House, with President Bush firing International Boundary Commissioner Dennis Schornack over his handling of the matter. But on Wednesday Schornack rejected his dismissal by the commander-in-chief.

In a strongly worded letter to Bush, Schornack said the International Boundary Commission (IBC) is an independent, international organization outside the U.S. government's jurisdiction. Schornack wrote that according to the 1908 treaty that created the IBC, a vacancy can only be created by "the death, resignation or other disability" of a commissioner.

Thus, Schornack said, the president cannot fire him. "I am unable to recognize the authority of this communication because I don't believe that you would knowingly act beyond your authority, outside the law or to otherwise jeopardize the national security of the United States," Schornack wrote.

A dejected Schornack said Wednesday: "I am ashamed of my government." Bush nominated him to the IBC in 2001.

Source: Seattle Times 7 July 2007

[grytpype]

5. Good to see someone stand up against Bush's thuggery.

[hedgehog]

4. Check out the area on Google Earth and see if you can spot the 20 foot

vista. I certainly couldn't. If I'm reading the area correctly, there is a major truck terminal straddling the line just a mile or so west of the disputed area.

Edit - that truck terminal is probably the border crossing. Still, the power line right of way on my property is a lot clearer thatn the so-called vista, and it's only 10' wide. .