Canada to Use Body Scanners at Airports

Full-body scanners will be introduced in Canada in the wake of the failed Christmas Day bombing attempt of a U.S. airliner, Canada's transport minister said Tuesday.

Transport Minister John Baird said Tuesday 44 machines will be purchased. Twelve will be put in place later this month, and the rest will be operational in the spring.

The suspect in the failed Northwest Airlines bombing had changed planes in The Netherlands and gone through security, but not through a full-body scanner.

"Given the recent terrorist incident on Dec. 25, our government is accelerating its actions to protect air travelers," Baird said.

Baird also said they will also set up an airport watch system to look for suspicious passengers and tab them for enhanced screening.

Canada tested the scanners at a British Columbia airport in 2008. They received the blessing of Canada's privacy czar last October.

Britain, Nigeria and the Netherlands have already announced plans for body scanners.