STATEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF BRIDGES NOT BORDERS
November 2023
At a meeting in October 2023, members of Bridges Not Borders – Créons des ponts came to a number of decisions about the future of our group. We concluded that it is time to scale back our activities. We came together in 2017 in response to the increasing numbers of Roxham refugees, with an intention to speak out for them and help where possible. We believe that borders should be bridges for those in need of protection, rather than barriers that exclude them. Roxham Road was, in effect, the child of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and only existed because in 2002 Canada decided, alongside the US, that not all those coming to our land border would be allowed to enter and seek protection. Only those meeting one of the four exceptions and able to prove it would be permitted to enter. This was despite the fact that it is their right under international law to seek asylum here. The mission of our group covered three areas: direct support for refugees, information and networking, and advocacy/lobbying (see summary below). During our visits to Roxham Road in the US, and through email exchanges, we met and helped many people over the years (See our Blog posts recording our visits).
When the new protocol to the Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect this year on midnight of March 25, it signaled the end of Roxham Road (see our statement Here) as a safe place where people could seek asylum in Canada and avoid the risk of rejection at official ports of entry. The closure of Roxham Road was brought home with the demolition of the RCMP installation on September 25th. Nothing now remains but an empty space where once people from more than 25 countries arrived, full of hope and trepidation, to find safety in Canada.
The end of Roxham represents a major shift in the core mission of Bridges Not Borders. While we will continue some activities that arise over the coming months (media interviews, talks, articles), we will not initiate any new projects in the foreseeable future. However, we will continue to provide updated information for asylum seekers in three languages on our website until at least March 2025.
Nevertheless we wish to stress we are not ‘going away’ (after all we live near the border!) and, should a situation evolve in future, we can still come together to respond as necessary in an ad hoc way. We have set up an information point where members can share details of irregular crossings and RCMP interceptions that they witness, hear of or read about. We are of course concerned about the coming winter months and the dangers for people who will try to cross irregularly into Canada be that on their own or in the hands of traffickers.
We’re adjusting to this new situation, but we are not giving up our intention of supporting refugees.
In solidarity with refugees everywhere.
For the record, here is a summary of our activities over the last 6+ years:
Support for refugees took many forms: welcoming refugees arriving at Roxham Road USA and giving out warm clothing; observing RCMP treatment of refugees and meeting with RCMP; providing email support and helping find legal help; providing information for asylum seekers in three languages on our website; holding refugee picnics; helping many who were stranded in the US during the COVID border closure and since March 25th of this year.
Information/Networking: Over the years we’ve written numerous articles for local media, an Op-Ed and published statements about key events. We’ve been interviewed by countless media from Canada, the US and Europe. We have supported some students researching Roxham Road and the STCA. With Solidarity Across Borders we held an information session in Hemmingford, featuring two refugee testimonies. We also created a mixed media display highlighting the plight of refugees. This year we helped with the organization of the March to Roxham. We’ve also given in person and online talks, presented at conferences and participated in podcasts. We’ve been active members of the US Canada Cross Border Network and actively liaised with refugee groups in Montreal.
Advocacy/Lobbying: We had numerous meetings with Quebec and Federal politicians and the UN Refugee Agency of Canada. We wrote letters to the PM, the Quebec Premier, MPs and MNAs about the STCA, the scandal of refugee children separated from parents at the southern US border, the COVID border closure, and the regularization process for the ‘COVID angels’ (asylum seekers working in the health sector). We were present as a counterpoint to five anti-Roxham demonstrations that were organized by far right groups, including some that have since been banned. As we see now in many countries, refugees can easily become scapegoats for popular discontent.
At a meeting in October 2023, members of Bridges Not Borders – Créons des ponts came to a number of decisions about the future of our group. We concluded that it is time to scale back our activities. We came together in 2017 in response to the increasing numbers of Roxham refugees, with an intention to speak out for them and help where possible. We believe that borders should be bridges for those in need of protection, rather than barriers that exclude them. Roxham Road was, in effect, the child of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and only existed because in 2002 Canada decided, alongside the US, that not all those coming to our land border would be allowed to enter and seek protection. Only those meeting one of the four exceptions and able to prove it would be permitted to enter. This was despite the fact that it is their right under international law to seek asylum here. The mission of our group covered three areas: direct support for refugees, information and networking, and advocacy/lobbying (see summary below). During our visits to Roxham Road in the US, and through email exchanges, we met and helped many people over the years (See our Blog posts recording our visits).
When the new protocol to the Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect this year on midnight of March 25, it signaled the end of Roxham Road (see our statement Here) as a safe place where people could seek asylum in Canada and avoid the risk of rejection at official ports of entry. The closure of Roxham Road was brought home with the demolition of the RCMP installation on September 25th. Nothing now remains but an empty space where once people from more than 25 countries arrived, full of hope and trepidation, to find safety in Canada.
The end of Roxham represents a major shift in the core mission of Bridges Not Borders. While we will continue some activities that arise over the coming months (media interviews, talks, articles), we will not initiate any new projects in the foreseeable future. However, we will continue to provide updated information for asylum seekers in three languages on our website until at least March 2025.
Nevertheless we wish to stress we are not ‘going away’ (after all we live near the border!) and, should a situation evolve in future, we can still come together to respond as necessary in an ad hoc way. We have set up an information point where members can share details of irregular crossings and RCMP interceptions that they witness, hear of or read about. We are of course concerned about the coming winter months and the dangers for people who will try to cross irregularly into Canada be that on their own or in the hands of traffickers.
We’re adjusting to this new situation, but we are not giving up our intention of supporting refugees.
In solidarity with refugees everywhere.
For the record, here is a summary of our activities over the last 6+ years:
Support for refugees took many forms: welcoming refugees arriving at Roxham Road USA and giving out warm clothing; observing RCMP treatment of refugees and meeting with RCMP; providing email support and helping find legal help; providing information for asylum seekers in three languages on our website; holding refugee picnics; helping many who were stranded in the US during the COVID border closure and since March 25th of this year.
Information/Networking: Over the years we’ve written numerous articles for local media, an Op-Ed and published statements about key events. We’ve been interviewed by countless media from Canada, the US and Europe. We have supported some students researching Roxham Road and the STCA. With Solidarity Across Borders we held an information session in Hemmingford, featuring two refugee testimonies. We also created a mixed media display highlighting the plight of refugees. This year we helped with the organization of the March to Roxham. We’ve also given in person and online talks, presented at conferences and participated in podcasts. We’ve been active members of the US Canada Cross Border Network and actively liaised with refugee groups in Montreal.
Advocacy/Lobbying: We had numerous meetings with Quebec and Federal politicians and the UN Refugee Agency of Canada. We wrote letters to the PM, the Quebec Premier, MPs and MNAs about the STCA, the scandal of refugee children separated from parents at the southern US border, the COVID border closure, and the regularization process for the ‘COVID angels’ (asylum seekers working in the health sector). We were present as a counterpoint to five anti-Roxham demonstrations that were organized by far right groups, including some that have since been banned. As we see now in many countries, refugees can easily become scapegoats for popular discontent.