border visit - august 5, 2018

Sunday, August 5th, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, USA.

A very hot day and many people were happy to accept the cups of water on offer. A total of 12 people crossed into Canada while we were there. First arrived a man from Haiti who was kept standing at the border while the RCMP officer repeated to him that he should go to Lacolle border. He directed the Haitian man to read the poster but it was not clear that he understood what was said to him or what was written there.  He may only have spoken Creole.  Eventually he crossed.

Next came a young man from Syria who crossed without incident. He was followed by a mother and daughter from Zimbabwe who also crossed after listening to the RCMP officer repeat their protocol.  After this a family of four from Columbia arrived and entered Canada. Finally, four people from Ethiopia arrived (two women and two children) and they crossed after listening to the RCMP officer.