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Today, NBC News reported an astonishing statement by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

He revealed to a Congressional committee that visitors to the United States may be asked to turn over their social-media passwords.

It's reportedly one of the measures that the Trump administration is contemplating to crack down on terrorism.

"We want to get on their social media, with passwords: what do you do, what do you say?" Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. "If they don't want to cooperate then you don't come in."

Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring that all visitors to the United States will be subjected to biometrics screening.

Other aspects of the executive order led more than 4,000 academics and university administrators to sign an online petition boycotting travel to conferences in the United States.

Meanwhile, refugee-support groups and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association want Canada to stop sending refugees across the border under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement.

That's because they feel that refugees' safety can no longer be guaranteed under the Trump administration.

The Georgia Straight conducted an online survey of readers asking if they would avoid travelling to the United States because of Trump's travel and immigration policies.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents, 74 percent, stated that they would avoid going there as of this writing.

Meanwhile, it appears that Canadian tourism marketers are cranking up their advertising to encourage Canadians to visit other cities, provinces, and territories.

There are domestic campaigns to go to Quebec City, Calgary, and Newfoundland and Labrador, to name just three.

The low Canadian dollar compared to the U.S. greenback makes it more attractive to remain in Canada.

But the Trump effect is also taking its toll. Women tend to do more travel planning than men within families and women find Trump to be particularly loathesome.

Sooner or later, U.S. tourism promoters who rely on Canadian travellers are going to take notice.

Who wants to visit a country that demands your social-media passwords?

Even Russia and China don't do that.