LACOLLE, Que. (July 28, 2004) — In a pact with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Canadian Customs officials at the Lacolle-Champlain, N.Y. border are stopping every car and truck before the vehicle reaches U.S. Customs.

In an unusual move, the Canadian customs agents are reportedly assisting U.S. officials who are under orders to increase border scrutiny at the crossing for the duration of the Democratic Convention in Boston. Canadian officials are thoroughly searching every vehicle leaving Canada, before handing the driver off to U.S. Customs, who then conduct normal entry procedures.

Compounding wait times — reaching up to two hours at certain points — are Canadian inspectors purposefully keeping the pace of inspections slow.

In June, the Customs Excise Union organized pickets and exercised what it calls “due diligence,” — doing jobs as meticulously as possible to slow down traffic. The agents’ union has been pushing for higher wages since 2000. It wants pay to be more in line with what U.S. inspectors get.

The traffic delays are expected to last until at least Thursday — the last day of the Democratic convention.

— with files from CTV News