愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Migrant bodies in St. Lawrence 'heartbreaking' but 'predictable,' advocate says

Share

On Thursday afternoon, , were found in the St. Lawrence River. A day later, two more bodies were discovered.

The heartbreaking situation highlights deeper border control issues between Canada and the U.S. according to migrant advocate Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

"The question we need to ask is, why are people fleeing Canada to go to the United States?" Hussan told CTV New Channel on Saturday. "Why are migrants not able to just live here with justice and dignity and equality?"

The people found in the river were part of two families, one of Romanian descent and the other of Indian origin. Police said . The bodies, which haven't been officially identified, were found in Tsi Snaihne (Snye) in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory that straddles Quebec, Ontario and New York state.

Hussan says people likely flee illegally across the border because they face difficulties accessing permanent residency in Canada, among other things.

"Prime Minister Trudeau in December 2021 at the start of this current mandate, promised permanent resident status for migrant students and workers and undocumented people," Hussan said. "Because he knows that that is the only way to ensure equal rights, 15 months later, we have not seen an inclusive regularization program."

In the last three months,the bodies found in the St. Lawrence River are "just the latest" tragedies, according to Hussan.

He adds migrants will be less likely to flee if a path to permanent residency is created.

"People are being , exploited by landlords, separated from their families, denied health care, and a few of them are making this dangerous journey to the U.S. and are dying," he said.

Hussan is fearful the shocking news of migrant deaths will become normalized.

"What I'm scared of is that this will turn from news into current affairs," he said.

Recently, the U.S. and Canada agreed to end a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement which means asylum seekers will be turned away at irregular border crossings like at Roxham Road in Quebec. Federal figures show more than 39,000 people claimed asylum after crossing into Canada by land in 2022, with most coming through Quebec.

The U.S. agreed to extend the conditions across 8,900 kilometres of border while Canada, in exchange, will welcome an additional 15,000 migrants over the next year.

 

To hear the full interview with Hussan, click the video at the top of this article. 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected