Sunday, May 20th, 2018: Afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA.
A warm sunny afternoon. Eleven people crossed over into Canada.  The RCMP first asked people to read the information on the sign and to tell them when they are finished reading to tell them. At that point they said: This is your choice but you will be arrested. First came an Angolan family of four (mother, father, a baby and little girl). Then a lone woman from Egypt arrived. After that a Nigerian family of five (parents and three small children) and a single Nigerian man arrived. Everyone crossed over without incident.

The RCMP officers were courteous and told the BnB volunteers that the average numbers of people crossing each day is between 30 and 40 which is less than were crossing in the winter.

Sunday, May 13th  2018.   Afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA
It was a quiet afternoon. Only three people crossed over. 

First came a taxi with a  man from Sudan who had been  living in the US for a number of years and a woman from Nigeria. The RCMP officer said to them: I am glad you speak English. You cannot cross here. You will be arrested. If you want to cross you must go to an immigration officer.  The Sudanese man said : I'd like to take my chances to which the officer replied : Do what you have to do.  They crossed over.

A bit later an elderly Haitian woman with a severe limp crossed.  She spoke only Creole (Haitian). She was told  three times that she would be arrested. She showed her passport and then decided to cross over.

Sunday May 6th, 2018.  3.30pm - 6.30pm. Roxham Road, USA
A sunny pleasant day about 15C. In total 18 people crossed into Canada. First came a group of three people from Venezuela, a mother and teenage son and a young man. They spoke only Spanish and were very confused as they stood at the border. They did not understand what the RCMP officer said to them but saw her pointing in the direction of Lacolle.  The teenage boy turned and was about to get back into the taxi but his mother called him back. The BnB volunteer told her  in broken Spanish it would be ok and not to be afraid. They then crossed over. 

Next a taxi arrived with 2 Nigerian women and three children. The officer said 'if you want to apply for asylum legally you must go to Lacolle'. Subsequently a single Nigerian woman in her late 30's arrived and the officer repeated the same phrase to her.  

Later in the afternoon a single man of African origin arrived and when he went across the border there was no RCMP present. They accosted him after he crossed,  Some 20 minutes later a Nigerian family arrived- mother, father, two teenage girls and two small children. The RCMP officer kept to their protocol and did not say anything off-script. Finally a single woman from west Africa arrived with a small baby on her back.  There was no officer at the border when she walked across. 

Sunday, April 29th, 2018.  3.45 pm - 5pm.  Roxham Road, USA
​A very rainy day. A total of 18 people crossed today. Everyone was of African origin and mostly English speaking.  First came a group of four people, 3 men and one woman. ​ In addition to the protocol with RCMP officers are meant to say, they told the refugees to “go enter legally at Lacolle “. Officers also asked them if they had relatives in Canada.
​
​Next came two shuttle buses with several families (7 adults and 8 children). One woman with a baby on her back had bare arms and not coat. She was happy to receive a coat. ​

A ​​ different  RCMP officer ​spoke to th​ese refugees.  He repeatedly said "Listen to me. You are not listening. I told you to listen to me” ​.​  ​He​  said to one man​ who was speaking with others: ‘ If you convince the others to come over, you will be arrested for human trafficking.”  He also said​ to the people: ​  “You don’t have a chance of being accepted. You will be sent back.”  He also asked where one of the families was fro​m.  After some​ time​  standing in puddles in the rain, everyone crossed.​

Sunday April 22nd, 2018.  3.45 pm - 5pm. Roxham Road, USA .
A much warmer day but the wind was still chilly so people did take some hats and gloves. A total of 11 people (8 adults and 3 children) crossed over today. 

First came a french speaking couple of African origin.  5 RCMP officers met them. The  officer speaking to them was unfriendly, asking if they had really read the sign and that this was not the way to come in and it was not a god way to start of life in Canada. The couple walked over quickly which put a stop to any further conversation.  Next came a single Nigerian women with 2 children about 8 years old. They were also met by  5 RCMP officers but the officer speaking to them was friendly. He  told them to read the sign and they would be arrested. It was their choice. They crossed without much hesitation. Soon after this, 3 Haitian women and a baby arrived with lots of suitcases, a stroller and a car seat. The same RCMP officer spoke with them, speaking in Creole in a friendly way.  The taxi driver was allowed to help them with their suitcases right across the border and then the other RCMP officers took over helping with the suitcases.

​Finally  2 young Colombian women in their 20's with just backpacks arrived. There were no RCMP officers at the border.  The BnB volunteer spoke with them in Spanish. They were very nervous and one had tears in her eyes. They took a couple of hats and asked what they should do. The volunteer showed them where to cross which they did. No RCMP appeared and the two reached the barrier at Roxham Road, Canada side before  they were stopped by officers.

 Chers tous et toutes,
 
Voilà une mise à jour rapides sur les activités du groupe BNB, ainsi qu’un rappel de regarder comment vous pouvez vous impliquer dans nos activités. Les notes de la dernière réunion ont sont maintenant traduites et attachées en français, et vous trouverez la liste des points à faire à la fin des notes. Je renvoie aussi un document sur la structure du groupe qui faisait partie du plan de communication avant. (Traduction en français par Google translation, changée un petit peu par moi-même…)

• La rencontre avec les secrétaires parlementaires des ministres Goodale (sécurité publique) et Hussen (immigration et réfugiés), organisée par Brenda Shanahan, pour notre groupe, a été très fructueuse. En raison des conditions météorologiques, le député Serge Cormier (immigration)  n'a pas pu être présent, mais le député Mark Holland (sécurité publique) était là et a vraiment écouté nos informations sur le comportement de la GRC à la frontière. Il nous a félicité de notre présence à la frontière et de nos rapports au sujet de la GRC, et a convenu qu'ils devaient s'en tenir strictement à leur protocole. Il a dit que cela pourrait prendre du temps, mais que cela devait changer. Entre-temps, nous ferons un suivi auprès de l'agent de liaison local de la GRC la semaine prochaine. Notre lobbying commence à avoir un effet!
• Lundi prochain (23 avril), se tiendra la rencontre de la MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville pour explorer une vision et des stratégies pour la MRC, à St Remi. Frances assistera à une partie de la réunion pour représenter notre groupe, mais ce serait bien d'avoir quelqu'un d'autre pour assister à une partie de la journée. Svp communiquer directement avec Frances pour plus de détails.
• Nous avons maintenant une page média sur le site Web qui contient des entrevues à la télévision, à la radio et dans les médias locaux, ou des liens à ce sujet: http://www.bridgesnotborders.ca/media.html.
• David a créé une structure de documents google pour le groupe où vous trouverez des documents de groupe. Il a déjà téléchargé des documents, d'autres suivront au fur et à mesure.
• À la lumière de notre rencontre d'information fructueuse à Hemmingford, Mylaine s'est engagée à aider d'autres communautés à tenir des réunions d'information. Qui d'autre peut travailler avec elle à ce sujet?
• La prochaine réunion du groupe BNB est prévue pour le mercredi 23 mai 2018. Svp noter la date dans vos agendas et rejoignez-nous pour le souper potluck (17h30) et la réunion après (19h).

 
Nous vous souhaitons un merveilleux printemps et nous avons hâte de vous voir à la prochaine réunion, sinon avant,
Grace, Wendy, and Frances
BNB comité de coordination

Pour recevoir notre infolettre, svp nous contacter @ bridgesnotborders.ca@gmail.com.

Dear all,
 
Here is a quick update as far BNB group activities are concerned, as well as a reminder to check out the ways that you can get involved at the end of the notes of the last meeting (now also attached in French). I am also resending the minutes of the meeting, as well as a document about the group structure (which was part of the communications plan), for your information.
 
Updates:

• The meeting with the Parliamentary Secretaries to the ministers Goodale (public security) and Hussen (immigration and refugees), arranged by Brenda Shanahan MP for the group, was very successful. Due to weather, Serge Cormier MP (immigration) could not attend, but Mark Holland MP (public security) was there and really listened to our information about RCMP behavior at the border. He commended us on our presence at the border and on our reports about the RCMP, and agreed that they had to strictly stick to their protocol. He said it might take time, but that this had to change. Meanwhile, we will follow up with the local RCMP liaison officer next week. Our lobbying is starting to have an effect!
• This coming Monday (April 23), is the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville meeting to explore a vision and strategies for the MRC, in St Remi. Frances will be attending part of the meeting to represent our group, but it would be great to have someone else to attend for part of the day. Please contact Frances directly for details.
• We now have a media page on the website that has tv, radio and local media interviews, or links thereto, on it: http://www.bridgesnotborders.ca/media.html.
• David has created a google documents structure for the group where you will find group documents. He’s uploaded some documents already, more will follow as we go along.
• In light of our successful info meeting in Hemmingford, Mylaine has stepped forward to work on supporting other communities to hold info meetings. Who else can work with her on this?
• The next BNB group meeting is planned for Wednesday 23 May 2018. Please mark the date in your diaries and join us for potluck dinner (5.30pm) and the meeting after (7pm).

 
Here’s wishing you a wonderful spring, and we look forward to seeing you at the next meeting, if not before,
Grace, Wendy, and Frances
BNB Coordinating committee

If you'd like to get on our newsletter list, please contact us on bridgesnotborders.ca@gmail.com.

Sunday April 15th, 2018. 3.45 - 5 pm. Roxham Road, USA.
​A very cold rainy day.  A total of 11 people crossed into Canada today. There were two families from Nigeria, one with three children and the other with two. Two single men crossed separately, one from Eritrea and the other from Nigeria.   When the Eritrean man arrived at the border in a taxi, he was very nervous.  A Bridges Not Borders volunteer spoke with him briefly and told him 'Not to worry, it will be ok'.  At which point an RCMP officer told her that:  'If you go on talking to him, we can arrest you.'  The officer kept the Eritrean man standing at the border for a long time while he repeatedly told the refugee that he would be much better off going to the Lacolle port of entry.  The officers also attempted strongly to convince the other people crossing that they would be better off going to Lacolle. 

Sunday April 8th, 2018. 3.45 - 5 pm. Roxham Road, USA.
​A very damp cold day. A total of 19 people crossed into Canada today, mostly from Nigeria. First came a woman in her forties. Although she was not warmly dressed she was too stressed to stop and take some warm things. She crossed without incident. Next came a shuttle bus from the bus stop in Plattsburgh with three families: six adults and 12 children. Most of the children were age 5 or under and there were two adolescent boys. The RCMP officers only said what was necessary and did not attempt to coerce anyone into going to the official port of entry at Lacolle.

Sunday, April 1st, 2018. 3.45 - 5pm. Roxham Road USA
A total of 21 people crossed into Canada this afternoon. First four Nigerian families crossed. This included two families composed of single mothers, one with 3 children and the other with four (one an adolescent). The two other families were couples, one with two young boys and the other with a girl and two boys. The RCMP officer who intervened with these families spoke to them kindly. He then left and was replaced by an older officer.  Then a Honduran family arrived, led by a teenage boy about 16 years old and his mother (who spoke only Spanish) who was carrying a baby boy. They had only a small suitcase and a backpack for the three of them. The tone of the officer was intimidating. They were told they would be arrested and to go to the Lacolle border crossing. The teenage boy turned to ask the Bridges Not Borders volunteer what they should do. The volunteer informed him that it was their decision, but that they would indeed be arrested if they crossed. She also briefly explained why some people crossed at Roxham rather than at a regular point of entry, without trying to influence his decision. He then led his family back before the officer who once again told him he would be arrested and added "you will go to jail".  With an uncertain nod to his mother who followed him, they crossed into Canada.