U.S. Visitor Fee Suggested

President Barack Obama is floating the idea of charging a fee for every Canadian entering the U.S. by air or sea.

The proposal is outlined in the 2012 federal draft budget he submitted to Congress on Monday.

The $5.50 fee would not apply to visitors arriving in private vehicles.

Visitors from Canada, Mexico and a number of Caribbean countries are currently exempt from ``passenger inspection fees.''

Obama's budget blueprint proposes lifting those exemptions and using the revenue from the charges to support air passenger inspections which have recently grown more intensive.