Reply #3: McKenna predicts U.S. will drop passport plan

[Spazito]

WASHINGTON — Canada's ambassador predicted Monday that the United States would drop a controversial proposal that would require all travellers to show passports in order to cross the long border between the two countries.

Discussions with the administration, which introduced guidelines to crack down on potential terrorist travel across borders, indicates that "passports will not be the ultimate requirements," Ambassador Frank McKenna said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Currently, U.S. and Canadian travellers need only driver's licences to cross the border, although passports are often shown.

Requiring passports, which only 20 per cent of Americans have, "would be a big change,'' McKenna said.

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