Tear gas seized at airport

This cannister of tear gas was seized by a security officer at Jack Garland North Bay Airport. Photo by Phil Novak
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A security officer at Jack Garland North Bay Airport seized
a small cannister of tear gas from a 72-year-old American female passenger.

The woman, from Boulder, Colorado, had flown to North Bay from Toronto and was leaving to go back to Toronto this morning.

North Bay Police Service spokesman Yvan Montcalm said the woman had thrown her keys into a tray at the security desk as she was entering the departure gate.

The security officer, Montcalm said, noticed a three inch tall cannister, one inch in diameter, attached to the key chain.

"It had the words 'CS Tear Gas" attached to it," Montcalm said.

"The woman said she had been carrying the key chain with her during her entire trip and had never been questioned about it."

The security guard called the North Bay Police Service, and Cst. Jeff Warner responded to the call.

Warner took the tear gas cannister into a wooded area and discharged it, Montcalm said.

"It was full," Montcalm said.

When questioned why she had the cannister, the woman said she wanted to protect herself from bears back in Boulder.

"Apparentley that cannister took just a second or two to fully charge, so I wouldn't want to be talking to a bear like that," Montcalm said.

"It would be a case of 'feet don't fail me now.'"

Tear gas is illegal in Canada for non-police personnel.

Montcalm said carrying tear gas for personal use is legal in some US states.

The woman, whose name was not released, was not charged, and the empty cannister was not returned to her.