U.S.: Canada border weak on counterfeiters

OTTAWA, June 8 (UPI) -- The national U.S. and Canadian Chambers of Commerce say Canadian border officials should be authorized to confiscate counterfeited goods.

In a joint proposal to the Canadian government, the groups called for expanded authority for Canada Border Services Agency officers and more muscle in clamping down on goods that range from pirated DVDs to fake designer clothing, accessories and automotive parts, the Globe and Mail reported.

"The Canadian and U.S. Chambers of Commerce are very concerned about the weak enforcement of intellectual property rights in Canada," the statement said.

Chris Gray of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce told the newspaper border guards aren't authorized to inspect for knock-off, or fake goods such as handbags, athletic shoes and clothing.

"What people aren't thinking about are the counterfeit toothpaste and toothbrushes and brake parts" coming into Canada, he said. "You name it -- anything that can be reverse-engineered, it's coming across the border in droves."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Barack Obama have held numerous talks in the past about stepping up border law enforcement, most recently last month at the Group of Eight summit in Paris.

Since the May 2 federal election that gave Harper's Conservative its first majority government in five years, such initiatives are widely expected to pass through Parliament more quickly.