Paul Martin's Liberal government is now scrambling in an attempt to blunt another expected hit by the scourge of Parliament Hill -- Auditor General Sheila Fraser. [. . . .]

And now a new report by Fraser is to be released Tuesday in which she examines the handling of $7.7 billion of government spending on anti-terrorist security measures since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

She's expected to focus her steely gaze on how well that money was spent. And also just how efficient and secure is the co -ordination of intelligence and anti-terrorist operations among government departments, police, etc.

The word is there's been much waste and bungling -- especially in the co-operation among various agencies both inside and outside Canada, inlcluding the United States.

So [Friday], Anne McLellan, Martin's new public safety minister, attempted a pre-emptive strike against the expected criticisms.

She announced a new, secure communications system is being planned so that all federal officials can talk without terrorists or hackers being able to intercept. That could improve now suspect co-operation between agencies.

[. . . .] On Tuesday, the government announced it would spend $605 million more on security. That's not much when you realize it's to be spread over the next five years. Some will go to helping make Canada's vulnerable seaports more secure.

[. . . .] In Canada's case, there's long been criticism of our wide-open immigration and refugee system that has allowed terrorists to enter and remain undetected for years.

[. . . .] Ressam not only ignored a deportation order but was able to secure a Canadian passport.

[. . . . e.g. ] Canada's Khadr family where a father and sons have fought in Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of the al-Qaida and Taliban forces.

[. . . .] Yesterday, McLellan claimed Canada is tightening its immigration system.

For those of us who have watched this lax system operate since it was first introduced in 1965, seeing will be believing. After all, that soft, wide-open system was imposed by the Liberals to gain what they called "the immigrant vote" and the Grits have benefitted from it ever since.

[. . . .] Also, the increasing threat of Stephen Harper's new Conservative party winning the next federal election is another spur for Martin. Harper is a much stronger supporter of tougher anti-terrorist policies.