Ok, so friends of mine were doing part of the walk from #tiotiake (#mtl) to #RoxhamRoad as a #RefugeesWelcome event. Unfortunately, the walkers were stopped momentarily in Longueuil by the local police.

The piggies were pissed because the organizers gave them an itinerary, but had to change it at the last minute due to the weather. Apparently there was an extensive discussion on how the organizers didn't have to give an itinerary anyway, the police were overstepping their power, etc. etc.

The walkers were keeping on the sidewalk FFS, they didn't even step on the street. There were people walking on the same sidewalk the police forbid the walkers to use.

The organizers didn't want to push it since some of the walkers had precarious immigration statuses, an understandable position.

But yeah, you give the police an inch (give them an itinerary), they'll take a mile (still nitpick the itinerary you gave them).

So in summary: don't talk to police, #ACAB, #FTP, and especially fuck the longueuil police. We oughta organize a radical protest out there like we did in 2012 and make the fuckers run for their paycheck again.

Important day for refugees fleeing or transiting the USA into Canada.

#Immgration #CanPoli #CharterRights #RoxhamRoad #safethirdcountry #USPoli
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/2023/06/16/supreme-court-to-rule-on-constitutionality-of-safe-third-country-agreement

RT @UnitedChurchCda
On National #RefugeeRightsDay, the United Church protests the abrupt closing of #RoxhamRoad, which has left refugees stranded; and calls on the Canadian government to fulfill its legal obligations to uphold refugees’ right to protection. http://ow.ly/1UUE50NAuGY

#UCCan

RT @winnipegfreepress On Friday, Canada and the United States agreed to have asylum seekers rejected at irregular border crossings along the 8,900-kilometre border. It represents an extension of a treaty known as the Safe Third Country Agreement. Last year, RCMP intercepted 39,000 refugee claimants at the site. Friday’s agreement means #RoxhamRoad will be closed as of Saturday morning. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/03/24/canada-u-s-border-deal-sparks-fear-asylum-seekers-will-be-put-in-harms-way #Canada #Immigration #nomoa

“The impression has been created that they're 'sneaking' into Canada. But it's not illegal to make a refugee claim. The government has itself, and a bad deal with the U.S., to blame.” I wrote some thoughts on #roxhamroad #STCA and faulty political rhetoric with the amazing Julie Young (Lethbridge) and @jcyliew!

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/young-labman-and-liew-heres-why-asylum-seekers-are-using-roxham-road/wcm/34c70d0f-5f59-45e5-9869-15b2ec37c9db/amp/

“The impression has been created that they're 'sneaking' into Canada. But it's not illegal to make a refugee claim. The government has itself, and a bad deal with the U.S., to blame.” I wrote some thoughts on #roxhamroad #STCA and faulty political rhetoric with the amazing Julie Young (Lethbridge) and @jcyliew!

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/young-labman-and-liew-heres-why-asylum-seekers-are-using-roxham-road/wcm/34c70d0f-5f59-45e5-9869-15b2ec37c9db/amp/

RT @MigrantRightsCA
Politicians are spreading fear and disinformation about #RoxhamRoad #refugees to divide us. Learn the truth, and take action at http://www.StatusForAll.ca

#RefugeesWelcome
#UniteAgainstRacism
#StatusForAll

🧵

"No one blames genuine refugees for seeking asylum. People who are persecuted, desperate and fear for their lives are welcome under Canada’s refugee policy. But there are channels for this, and they should be respected. As for people who are not in imminent danger, but simply want a better life for economic reasons, they can apply through the regular immigration stream. We should always lay out a welcome mat. But we cannot be a doormat."

#TashaKheiriddin

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/tasha-kheiriddin-trudeau-cant-be-trusted-to-take-roxham-road-seriously

#RoxhamRoad

Asylum seekers using well-organized system for crossing irregularly into Canada | Ottawa Citizen https://bit.ly/40RAnVS #CanUSBorder #CBSA #Asylum #Immigration #RoxhamRoad #Quebec #IrregularEntry #SafeCountryAgreement #cdnpoli

"News that the City of New York is providing free bus tickets to migrants heading north to claim asylum in Canada highlights an urgent need to address the situation at the border, Quebec’s immigration minister said Monday."

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/quebec-minister-surprised-asylum-seekers-given-free-bus-tickets-from-new-york-city

#RoxhamRoad #asylum
#immigration #CanPol #polqc
#NationalPost

Currently on leave after having said goodbye to my gallbladder during the holidays. Still, things keep coming up!

Short blog entry with colleagues Karine Côté-Boucher and LP Jannard on #RoxhamRoad, the small rural road that has become the main unofficially official point of entry for #asylumSeekers from the US into #Canada / #Quebec.

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2023/01/06/how-a-small-rural-road-in-quebec-became-a-focal-point-for-asylum-seekers-crossing-into-canada-from-the-us/

I have written some pretty silly posts here of late, so I hope our 🐘 elders will be ok with some academic self-promotion 🤓

I am *pleased* (truly) to announce that "Chronicle of a “crisis” foretold: #Asylum seekers and the case of #RoxhamRoad on the Canada-US #border", written with fabulous co-authors Karine Côté-Boucher & Louis-Philippe Jannard is available as #OpenAccess in EPC.

(more info 👇🏻 )

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23996544221127614