Most of the border guards who work at a closed Canada-U.S. crossing in eastern Ontario at the centre of a dispute between Ottawa and Mohawks won’t return to work at the site even when the matter is settled, the guards’ union said Tuesday.
Ron Moran, president of the Customs and Immigration Union, said the majority of the 37 guards who work at the Cornwall Island, Ont., crossing have been told by their doctors not to return to work as long as the border crossing remains on the island, which is on the Akwesasne Mohawk reserve straddling the Ontario-Quebec-New York State borders. Doctors have warned guards that the tense relationship between guards and the community is too stressful and might have adverse health effects.
The crossing was shut by the Canada Border Services Agency to the general public on May 31, after the Akwesasne leadership said the community would not allow the planned arming of border guards the next day.
“If the office were to reopen, there would not be enough of a compliment of officers to run at it at this stage,” said Moran.
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“ they have faced harassment and racial profiling from border guards.’
Racial profiling? Why, because they were stopping and questioning aboriginals entering Canada? Duh, that would be the CBSA’s job wouldn’t it? Look at where the border crossing was located and it is not in the middle of ‘China town!” Are the NYPD guilty of racial profiling by interacting with African Americans in Harlem? This sorta reminds me of the late night check I made of a vehicle, in the middle of no where, pitch dark out, the vehicle windows tinted almost black, the driver was black and the dope had the audacity to accuse me of stopping him because he was black. If there’s nothing legitimate to complain about, there’s always the trusty old attention grabbing race card.
And you are trying to tell us that there is no profiling (racial or otherwise) beentheredonethat? Sorry if the word b*llsh*t slips out — I’ve heard about it all to often from my non-white friends and acquaintances, and, as a long haired, pony tail wearing, tattoo decorated, ear ring sporting, combat boot owning, fairly often leather clad, dark sun glasses wearing, motorcycle driving, citizen of this country I have most assuredly faced harrasment and profiling…. you could say I’ve been-there-done-that many, many, times.
CATSA, CBSA, RCMP, QPP, OPP, OCP — you name the outfit handing out the badges and the authority and I’ll tell you a story about being harassed by them, OK?
Did y’all know that the feds long ago agreed not to arm that particular border crossing? Specifically because of where it was located.
You probably didn’t know that, this is another federal government breaking another federal agreement with another Aboriginal group — it’s a story that has repeated itself since the first European type government made it’s first agreement with Aboriginal people…. who wouldn’t eventually start drawing lines inthe sand and saying “scerw you, no further!”.
The community there has my full support, and if you are in the area do not be surprised to see me there telling them that in person before this is done…. I’ll even smile for the police cameras when they record my visit.
And you are trying to tell us that there is no profiling (racial or otherwise) beentheredonethat? Sorry if the word b*llsh*t slips out
So are you saying that some members of visible minorities never pull the race card when there is absolutely no justification for doing so stageleft? Sorry if the word b*llsh*t slips out.
I have never ever said that profiling by law enforcement is a myth. As far as arming border crossing guards…..if the government agreed at some point to not arm the guards in question but changed their minds, well they’re entitled to do so. Are you saying that even though a government might realize it has made a bad decision it can never ever correct the situation stageleft? Sorry if the the word b*llsh*t slips out.
Here’s something else to ponder stageleft.
Envision this…….two or for that matter a dozen long haired, pony tail wearing, tattoo decorated, ear ring sporting, combat boot owning, fairly often leather clad, dark sun glasses wearing, motorcycle driving, citizens are stopped by police. All or most are civilized, polite and respectful to the officers, but one especially and obviously displays a huge chip on his shoulder towards anyone in authority. Guess which one is guaranteed to get ’extra special’ attention?
One more thing. At least twice in my life (younger days) I was threatened with and came dangeroulsy close to having grievous bodily harm inflicted on me (translation – getting the shit beat out of me or worse) by groups of visible minorities. In every instance it was for one reason and one reason only, because I was white. I don’t hate let alone dislike these communities of people for what theses thugs seriously would have liked to have done to me. Quite the contrary in fact. I recognize that they were acting as individuals, representative of no one but themselves. Maybe you should try to stop labelling everybody with a badge because you had a few bad experiences.
“beentheredonethat: If there’s nothing legitimate to complain about, there’s always the trusty old attention grabbing race card.”
But in fact there is a legitimate complaint isn’t there – an agreement was broken.
beentheredonethat: “So are you saying that some members of visible minorities never pull the race card when there is absolutely no justification for doing so stageleft? ”
Nope, I never said that at all.
beentheredonethat: “…if the government agreed at some point to not arm the guards in question but changed their minds, well they’re entitled to do so. Are you saying that even though a government might realize it has made a bad decision it can never ever correct the situation stageleft?”
Unilaterally, as is what happened in this case? No they are not.
Now that doesn’t stop the governemnt from doing so on a all to frequent basis when it comes to Aboriginal people, but it doesn’t mean they are entitled to – it just means they can’t be trusted and really shouldn’t be surprised when they get push back.
If I make an agreement with you, and then unilaterally decide it was a bad agreement and tell you to stuff it, am I entitled to do so?
beentheredonethat: “…two or for that matter a dozen long haired, pony tail wearing, tattoo decorated, ear ring sporting [snip] . ”
Why were we stopped? Was there a legitimate reason, or was it just because we were a bunch of long haired, poney tail wearing, tattoo decorated……
beentheredonethat: “All or most are civilized, polite and respectful to the officers, but one especially and obviously displays a huge chip on his shoulder towards anyone in authority. ”
Do you suppose that one guy might simply have had enough of being pulled over because of what he was driving and what he looked like? We all know it happens, it’s just something to ponder……
beentheredonethat: “Guess which one is guaranteed to get ’extra special’ attention? ”
If personal experience is any judge – everyone gets “extra special” treatment, because that’s the way it works.
beentheredonethat: “One more thing……”
And the last two times I felt seriously threatened (read I was sure I was gonna be on the receiving end of some grievous bodily harm) it was by people wearing uniforms… shall we continue trading stories or is there a point to that?
beentheredonethat: “Maybe you should try to stop labelling everybody with a badge because you had a few bad experiences. ”
Sorry dude, I, and people I know, and people I care about, have had enough collective bad experiences that the badge is suspect – as I’ve said before, I know some damned fine people who wear badges, and I’d bet my next two pay cheques that there’s a boat load more just like them out there, the question is, are they the majority?
I was stopped for speeding last summer and the member who gave me the ticket was so darned polite and reasonable that by the time he was done with me I felt guilty for interupting his day and forcing him to do something that he obviously detested doing even if it was for my own good – I was also stopped by another pair at a seat belt check point and given the “I know your type” stare (I know what it looks like, I see all to often walking towards CATSA agents and border guards – it’s one of the reasons I quit going to the states as a matter of fact) and warned about speeding and reckless driving because “the police were on the road“.
Why didn’t they wave me by? A bike has no seatbelt.Why did I get that stern warning when I was driving safely and at the speed limit?
I look at it this way…. your folks deal with some very bad people who have the long hair, the tattoos, maybe they ride bikes, and wear combat boots, so when they see folk like me they start to wondering who they are dealing with so your folks get to decide how any sort of interaction is gonna take place - the guy who gave me the speeding ticket did it right and even though it cost me dearly I have no hard feelings at all.
Others make the wrong choice, and that’s really not my problem, it’s not even a problem I can help you with, it’s a problem, with consequences like my lack of trust, that you folks have to deal with, and quite frankly, in my case, and in a whole lot of other cases, your side has a lot of work to do before things get any better.
Maybe we can sit down over a coffee one day and discuss who has the bigger chip on their shoulder beentheredonethat – I’m thinking your’s is a shade bigger than mine but I’m willing to be proven wrong, and if we don’t settle that issue we’d end up swapping some pretty decent stories.
What about the guards on the other side of the border, are they off work also.
You couldn’t find a chip on my shoulder with a microscope stageleft and I have never said anything to indicate that I did have one.You know what, if we did sit down and have coffee we’d likely both end up agreeing that there are and always will be a few bad apples in every profession, but that doesn’t necessarily, and rarely does, make the whole barrel rotten. For the record I knew a few officers like the ‘bad’ ones you described, but know this, they were also shunned by their peers because of how they conducted themselves ie their shitty attitudes. But by and large the vast vast majority of police officers are straight up fellows with ample respect for their fellow human beings. There’s nothing left to discuss.
Here’s the sick-f##k leftist society that stageleft wants for Canada.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6521199.ece
Speaking of people with a chip on their shoulder …
Its more than a (wood) chip. I would say its a whole lumber pile.
Just goes to show you how very little you know about me Mr.g. As far as I am concerned the authorities have no right to stop, detain, question, or search, anyone, at any time, unless they have very good and valid reasons to believe they need stopping, detaining, questioning, or searching.
Each and every time some one is stopped, detained, questioned, or searched, there should be a fully justified rationale for doing do – anything else is an abuse of authority and an unwarranted invasion of personal space and freedom.
We know that it happens based on personal bias, prejudice, and the ever popular “gut feeling”, but that doesn’t make it anywhere near right.
It also shows how the racial (and other) profiling engaged in by police all over the world is turning around to bite them on the a$$, and the lengths they will go to to try and cover their actions.
– sad ain’t it?
PS: Thanks for the link, I see a post at my place in the near future
Great Site, Very interesting information, keep up the fantastic work and Info.
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