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Eight Migrants Including 2 Children Found Dead in Canada’s St. Lawrence River

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1 year ago

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Eight Migrants Die, Including 2 Children Trying to Cross Canada,US Border

Police in Quebec report the bodies of two more migrants who died trying to cross from Canada into the United States, bringing the death toll to eight, including two children.

Six bodies were discovered Thursday in a marshy area of the St. Lawrence River, which forms the Canada-US border. The victims were described as members of two families of Romanian and Indian descent.

According to Akwesasne Mohawk Police Chief Shawn Dulude, authorities are still looking for Casey Oakes, 30, who was last seen Wednesday operating a boat found near the bodies. The latest two bodies were discovered in the water by a police helicopter.

“At this point, eight bodies have been recovered from the waters.” “All are believed to have tried to enter the United States illegally from Canada,” Dulude said.

According to Dulude, the child discovered on Friday was a Canadian citizen and a member of a Romanian family. An adult woman believed to be an Indian national, was also found dead.

Dulude stated that he had no idea whether Oakes was alive but that he was a person of interest.

Because of its location, the territory is known for being a transit point for human and contraband trafficking. In February, Akwesasne police reported increased human smuggling into Mohawk territory.

“This has exploited our community,” said Grand Chief Abram Benedict of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. “This is not the first time a tragedy of this magnitude has occurred in our community.” We’ve had other setbacks.”

The weather in the area was bad Wednesday night, according to Lee-Ann O’Brien, deputy chief of the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service.

Canada Orders Post Mortem

Six of the bodies, according to O’Brien, were discovered during the search for Oakes, who was reported missing on Thursday. On Wednesday, Oakes of Akwesasne was last seen around 9:30 p.m., boarding a small boat from the east end of Cornwall Island, located in the St. Lawrence River on the Ontario side of the Mohawk territory.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the situation as “heartbreaking.” “We need to understand what happened, how it happened, and do everything we can to reduce the chances of this happening again.”

The first body was discovered around 5 p.m., according to the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service. Thursday was spent in a marsh. A police marine unit, assisted by the Canadian Coast Guard and the Hogansburg Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department, searched the area further.

The Quebec Provincial Police and the Ontario Provincial Police also provided air support.

To determine the cause of the deaths, post-mortem and toxicology tests have been ordered.

According to Akwesasne police, approximately 80 people have attempted to cross illegally into Canada or the United States through Mohawk territory since January, most of whom are of Indian or Romanian descent.

Akwesasne has territory in Quebec, Ontario, and New York state and straddles the Canada-United States border.

“There have always been people passing through here,” Dulude told AP. “I’ve always been concerned.” It’s just that there’s more focus now.”

He stated that most people travel south to the United States and that it is uncommon for someone to travel north.

Migrants Crossing the River

Tony Jackson, an Akwesasne resident, said the weather was calm during the day on Wednesday when Oakes was last seen, but later turned rough. “The east wind around here creates a lot of waves, maybe five feet tall,” Jackson said. He estimated Oakes’ boat to be less than six meters (20 feet) long.

“That called for disaster,” he said, crossing the river in a small boat with many people on board.

He claimed he had never heard Oakes discuss transporting migrants. However, Jackson stated that he had personally witnessed groups of migrants crossing fields with bags in hand and boats transporting large groups of people across the river on occasion.

“You’ll see a couple of them walking down the road with all their bags a couple of times in a month,” he said.

Six Indian nationals were rescued from a sinking boat in the St. Regis River, which runs through Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, in April 2022. A seventh person seen leaving the ship and wading ashore was later identified as a US citizen. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials called the incident a human smuggling incident.

Trudeau and the U.S. Last week, President Joe Biden announced a plan to close a gap in an immigration agreement that allowed thousands of asylum seekers to travel between the two countries along a back road connecting New York state to Quebec.

The agreement to close an illegal border crossing about 105 kilometers (66 miles) east of Akwesasne went into effect on Saturday. According to O’Brien, it has nothing to do with the closure of the Roxham Road illegal border crossing into Canada.

A Florida man was charged with human smuggling early last year after the bodies of four people, including a baby and a teen, was discovered in Canada near the US border during what authorities believe was a failed crossing attempt during a freezing blizzard between Manitoba, Canada and North North Dakota. The victims were Indian nationals attempting to enter the United States.

Migrants are choosing Canada in record numbers.

Last year, nearly 40,000 migrants, a record number, crossed into Canada at an unofficial border crossing at the end of a remote rural road in upstate New York to seek asylum. Many people believe that the country is more welcoming than the United States. Can Canada, however, handle the influx?

Roxham Road is cold and quiet on a snowy winter day. The sound of wheels approaching the end of the path or the crunching of footsteps on snow breaks the silence.

Every day, approximately 150 migrants are dropped off here, determined to enter Canada. Many people began their journey as far away as Brazil, with this road in New York state serving as their destination.

Roxham Road does not serve as an official border crossing. At the other end, there are no border agents, only police officers who arrest those who cross.

However, it has become known as an easy way to enter Canada from the United States to seek asylum.

Last year saw the highest influx of migrants through that route, with thousands drawn by the country’s reputation for assisting those fleeing war and conflict.

The influx has increased frustration on both sides of the border with the path, concerns about its safety, and what the future holds for those who travel it.

Roxham Road gained national attention in 2017 when many migrants fleeing displacement and conflict began crossing there.

Some attribute its sudden popularity to fears of deportation from the United States under Trump’s administration, while others point to a tweet by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that read: “To those fleeing persecution, terror, and war, Canadians will welcome you.”

Housing for newly arrived migrants

The influx surprised Canadian officials. The Olympic Stadium in Montreal was briefly converted into housing for newly arrived migrants. The federal government attempted to stem the tide by emphasizing that simply arriving in Canada did not entitle one to stay.

The Covid-19 pandemic closed the route due to federal emergency health measures, but the demand for a haven never subsided.

Thousands of asylum seekers returned when those restrictions were lifted 16 months ago.

Many are from Haiti, wracked by political and gang violence in recent months. There has also been an influx of people from Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia and from as far away as Afghanistan, all dealing with domestic strife.

At the same time, the Biden administration has extended some Trump-era pandemic policies, such as Title 42, which has been used to deny some migrants land entry at the US-Mexico border.

Migrants interviewed by the BBC in Quebec said they increasingly see the United States as a non-viable refugee destination, where asylum claims can often take years to be heard and where they do not feel welcome.

Joshua arrived in Montreal two days after Christmas and lives in a rented flat with other migrants while his claim is heard.

He told the BBC that he had been living in exile in Chile for five years without travel documents when he decided to travel to Canada.

“Other countries aren’t as welcoming to irregular immigrants,” said Joshua, whose name has been changed to protect his identity as a political refugee. But, he claims, Canada has welcomed him.

Canadian’s Angy at Justin Trudeau

The influx is due to a nearly two-decade-old agreement with the US called the Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires migrants to seek asylum in the first safe country they enter.

A migrant from the United States would be turned away at a Canadian border crossing, but Roxham Road, an unofficial route, provides a detour.

Mr. Trudeau has dismissed calls to close the crossing, claiming that it would be futile given the thousands of kilometers of undefended border with the United States and that migrants would risk crossing elsewhere.

Instead, he has focused on renegotiating the agreement, which he is expected to discuss with Joe Biden when the president visits Ottawa later this week.

However, the prime minister is under pressure to act as new arrivals strain social services, particularly in Quebec, where many migrants settle.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault has declared the province’s situation untenable, claiming that services have been “pushed to the brink” and that some migrants are now homeless.

In February, he stated, “It is becoming increasingly difficult to receive asylum seekers with dignity.”

Canada’s Agencies Overwhelmed

Migrants also face a growing backlog of refugee claims, which increased by 26% from 56,300 in January to nearly 71,000 in December. Claim processing can now take up to two years. Last year, approximately 28% of all claims were denied, indicating that success is not guaranteed.

Work permits are also subject to lengthy waits.

It used to take a week to obtain the documents required to apply for employment as a new asylum seeker. The wait is now nearly two years, according to Maryse Poisson, who works at the Welcome Collective, a Montreal organization that assists newcomers.

A photograph of Joshua’s backside taken in downtown Montreal. He’s dressed in a red baseball cap and parka.

Due to backlogs, Joshua, a Venezuelan migrant, may not receive his Canadian work permit until 2024.

As a result, many migrants have struggled to make ends meet, and some have turned to food banks and other social supports while they wait, according to advocates.

“Some of them are in a position where they have to accept work under the table,” said Suzanne Taffot, a Montreal-based immigration lawyer who assists asylum seekers with their claims.

Ms. Poisson fears some will fall through the cracks without additional government assistance.

“We’re very concerned that the most vulnerable people, those with trauma, those with language barriers, don’t get the help they need at all,” she said.

US border security increased.

Border agents in the United States have noticed an increase in the number of people returning from Canada. In January, the US Border Patrol apprehended 367 people attempting to cross from north to south – more than the previous 12 years combined.

Republican lawmakers have since warned of a “crisis” at the northern border.

Some of those who return have done so out of frustration at not being able to find work in Canada or to reunite with family, according to people who work with asylum seekers in Montreal.

Tyler Tambini is one of a few taxi drivers in upstate New York who transport migrants to Roxham Road for free.

Despite the growing challenges in Canada, migrants continue to cross Roxham Road in record numbers, undeterred even in the depths of winter.

Taxi drivers Terry Provost and Tyler Tambini on the New York side of the border said they frequently drive people to the border from the Plattsburgh bus station, sometimes for free, because some migrants run out of money near the end of their journey.

“This guy had no money, and he’d been waiting and waiting at a motel,” Mr. Provost explained as he dropped off an Afghan asylum seeker.

When the migrants cross, they are met by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who warn them that they will be arrested if they proceed.

Previously a ditch with some brush and trees, the Canadian side of the border has been transformed into a small police compound since 2017, complete with trailers to process those who cross and buses waiting to transport newcomers to nearby hotels.

Mr. Provost observed people hesitating before taking the final step, unsure of what awaited them on the other side.

However, for migrants like Joshua, Canada is the last haven.

He told the BBC, “The American dream died many years ago.” “Montreal is my new home, my only home.”

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Geoff Thomas is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills and deep understanding of SEO, he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Thomas' articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.

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World

Putin Replaces Shoigu As Russia’s Defense Minister As He Starts His 5th Term

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10 hours ago

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2024-05-13

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AP News - VOR News Image

Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced Sergei Shoigu as defense minister on Sunday in a Cabinet shakeup as he begins his fifth term.

In accordance with Russian law, the entire Russian Cabinet resigned Tuesday following Putin’s spectacular inauguration in the Kremlin. Most members were widely anticipated to preserve their posts, although Shoigu’s status remained uncertain.

The Kremlin reported that Putin signed a decree on Sunday naming Shoigu as secretary of Russia’s Security Council. The appointment was revealed shortly after Putin requested that Andrei Belousov replace Shoigu as the country’s defense minister.

Shoigu’s new job was announced after 13 people were killed and 20 more injured in Russia’s border city of Belgorod when a 10-story apartment building partially collapsed due to what Russian officials claimed was Ukrainian shelling. Ukraine has not commented on the incident.

AP – VOR News Image

Putin Replaces Shoigu As Russia’s Defense Minister As He Starts His 5th Term

Russia’s upper chamber of parliament must accept Belousov’s candidacy, the Federation Council. On Sunday, it was claimed that Putin had also submitted ideas for additional Cabinet seats, but Shoigu is the only minister on the list who is being changed. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, whom Putin reappointed on Friday, offered several new federal ministry candidates on Saturday.

Shoigu’s deputy, Timur Ivanov, was detained last month on suspicions of bribery and ordered to be held in custody pending an official inquiry. Despite Shoigu’s close personal ties with Putin, the arrest of Ivanov was widely regarded as an attack on him and a likely precursor to his dismissal.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin chose a civilian as defense minister because the ministry should be “open to innovation and cutting-edge ideas.” He also stated that the increased defense budget “must fit into the country’s larger economy” and that Belousov, who previously served as first deputy prime minister, is the best candidate for the position.

Belousov, 65, held senior roles in the prime minister’s office’s finance and economic departments and the Ministry of Economic Development. In 2013, he was appointed Putin’s adviser, and seven years later, in January 2020, he was named first deputy prime minister.

Peskov promised that the change would not affect “the military aspect,” which “has always been the prerogative of the Chief of General Staff,” and that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who now holds this position, will continue to operate.

Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, wrote in an online commentary that Shoigu’s new appointment to Russia’s Security Council demonstrated that the Russian leader saw the institution as “a reservoir” for his “‘former’ key figures — people he can’t let go of, but doesn’t have a place for.”

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has also been named to the Security Council. Medvedev has served as the body’s deputy chairman since 2020.

AP – VOR News Image

Putin Replaces Shoigu As Russia’s Defense Minister As He Starts His 5th Term

Shoigu was chosen to the Security Council instead of Putin’s longtime supporter, Nikolai Patrushev. Peskov announced on Sunday that Patrushev is taking on a new job and promised to divulge more details in the coming days.

Shoigu is largely seen as a crucial role in Putin’s decision to deploy Russian soldiers into Ukraine. Russia expected the operation to easily crush Ukraine’s much smaller and less-equipped army and for Ukrainians to warmly welcome Russian troops.

Instead, the conflict inspired Ukraine to launch a fierce resistance, giving humiliating blows to the Russian army, including a retreat from an effort to seize the capital, Kyiv, and a counteroffensive that drove Moscow’s forces out of the Kharkiv area.

Shoigu spent over 20 years conducting varied tasks before being named defense minister in 2012. In 1991, he was appointed head of the Russian Rescue Corps disaster response organization, which later became the Ministry of Emergency Situations. He got visible in the post. As the rescue corps absorbed the armed Civil Defense Troops, he was promoted to general despite having no military background.

Shoigu does not have the same power level as Patrushev, who has long been the country’s top security official. However, the post he will occupy — the same job that Patrushev fought to elevate from a low bureaucratic role to one of significant influence — will still have some weight, according to Mark Galeotti, the president of the Mayak Intelligence consultancy.

Despite the changes at the top, high-level security materials destined for the president’s eyes will continue to transit through the Security Council Secretariat. “You can’t just institutionally turn around a bureaucracy and how it works overnight,” he stated.

Thousands of civilians have fled Russia’s resumed ground offensive in Ukraine’s northeast, which has targeted towns and villages with artillery and mortar fire, officials said Sunday.

The fierce fighting has caused at least one Ukrainian battalion to evacuate from the Kharkiv region, ceding more territory to Russian forces across less-defended villages in the so-called contested gray zone near the Russian border.

By Sunday afternoon, Vovchansk, one of the major towns in the northeast with a prewar population of 17,000, had emerged as a battleground.

Volodymyr Tymoshko, the chief of the Kharkiv regional police, stated that Russian forces were approaching the town from three angles.

An Associated Press team stationed in a nearby village witnessed plumes of smoke billowing from the town as Russian forces fired shells. Evacuation teams worked tirelessly throughout the day to transport inhabitants, most of whom were elderly, out of harm’s way.

At least 4,000 citizens have fled the Kharkiv region since Moscow’s forces initiated the operation on Friday, according to Gov. Oleh Syniehubov’s social media statement. Heavy fighting raged Sunday along the northeast front line, with Russian soldiers attacking 27 towns in the last 24 hours, he added.

Analysts believe the Russian effort is intended to take advantage of ammunition shortages before promised Western supplies reach the front lines.

AP – VOR News Image

Putin Replaces Shoigu As Russia’s Defense Minister As He Starts His 5th Term

The Ukrainian military said the Kremlin is employing the standard Russian technique of launching disproportionate amounts of fire and infantry assaults to deplete Ukrainian troops and weapons. By increasing fighting in what was previously a static sector of the front line, Russian forces threatened to shut down Ukrainian soldiers in the northeast while also gaining ground further south.

It follows Russia’s increased attacks on energy infrastructure and settlements in March, which many anticipated were part of a coordinated effort to prepare the stage for an onslaught.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that its forces had conquered four villages near the border with Ukraine’s Kharkiv area, in addition to the five villages reported to have been taken on Saturday. Because of the dynamic combat and continual intense shelling, these regions were most likely under-fortified, allowing Russia to move more easily.

Ukraine’s leadership has not acknowledged Moscow’s advantages. However, Tymoshko, the commander of the Kharkiv regional police, stated that Strilecha, Pylna, and Borsivika were under Russian possession and that infantry was being brought in from their direction to organize attacks in other beleaguered villages, such as Hlyboke and Lukiantsi.

SOURCE – (AP)

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News

Wildfires in Fort Nelson BC Expands to 17 Square Miles Forcing Evacuations

Published

24 hours ago

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2024-05-12

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Wildfire in Fort Nelson BC: File Image

Authorities in British Columbia Canada are urging all remaining residents in Fort Nelson to leave immediately, despite improving weather conditions, after many were already evacuated due to a fast-growing wildfires.

The blaze, which started Friday, almost doubled in size the following day, reaching about 17 square kilometers (4,200 acres). BC Wildfire Service maps showed the fire burning just a few kilometers (miles) west of Fort Nelson’s city limits.

Fort Nelson is located in the far northeastern corner of British Columbia, about 1,600 kilometers (995 miles) from Vancouver. Fort Nelson and the Fort Nelson Indian Reserve have a combined population of about 3,000.

In 2023, Canada witnessed a record number of wildfires that also caused choking smoke in parts of the U.S. and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate across British Columbia.

Authorities in Alberta also issued an alert about a wildfire nearly 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) southwest of the oil sands city of Fort McMurray that could impact visibility on highways in some areas. No evacuation order has been given so far for the major Canadian oil city.

In 2016, more than 80,000 people evacuated from Fort McMurray, in the heart of Canada’s oil sands, as a fire torched 1,600 homes and other buildings. The high winds pushed smoke across Alberta on Saturday, putting the city of Edmonton under an air quality advisory with hazard levels rated at 10-plus — or “very high risk” — forecast.

Meteorologists are not anticipating rain and have advised people to stay indoors.

Online footage shared by locals from the Fort Nelson wildfire showed thick plumes of smoke rising high into the sky, with houses in the foreground. In some photos, haze seemed to cover wide areas.

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nation issued a joint statement warning people choosing to stay that “emergency medical services are not available, nor are groceries or other amenities.”

The municipality mayor, Rob Fraser, said most of the residents in and around Fort Nelson have been evacuated, adding that police were going door to door to ensure everyone got out.

Health authorities said Fort Nelson General Hospital has been safely evacuated and closed until further notice.

Annual Wildfires in British Columbia

Wildfires are not new to British Columbia; they occur every year. Every year, hundreds of fires break out, some caused by lightning strikes, others by human negligence. As the temperature warms, fire seasons get longer and more intense. Without quick action, wildfires will only intensify, according to experts.

Combating these infernos comes at a startling cost. British Columbia spends millions of dollars deploying troops, aircraft, and equipment. Fires devastate wildlife habitats and emit enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Economies suffer as tourism declines and companies close during evacuations.

Regardless of the obstacles, BC fights hard. Firefighters have intensive training. Advanced modeling predicts fire behavior. Public education increases awareness. Nonetheless, the fires continue to spread, fueled by heat and drought. Wildfires have become British Columbia’s yearly summer scourge, and there is no end in sight.

 

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Election News

Trump Rally in New Jersey Sees Nearly 100,000 Attendees

Published

2 days ago

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2024-05-12

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Former President Donald Trump attended a rally in New Jersey on Saturday, again blaming President Joe Biden for the court cases he is facing as the probable Republican nominees prepare to square off in the November 2024 presidential election.

Blasting President Biden as “a total moron,” Trump repeatedly described the cases against him as politically motivated and timed to hurt his campaigning ability in front of a gathering of almost 100,000 people.

“He is a fool. “He’s not a smart man,” Trump stated about Biden. “I talk about him differently now because now the gloves are off.”

Lisa Fagan, a spokesman for the city of Wildwood, where the protest was held, told The Associated Press that she estimated a throng of approximately 100,000 people based on her personal observations on the ground Saturday, having witnessed “dozens” of prior events in the same place.

Several high-profile endorsers joined Trump on stage, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal charges of sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute in New York in 2011.

The beachfront gathering, described by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., as the largest political gathering in state history, was intended to serve as a show of force at a critical time for Trump, who is facing dozens of felony charges in four separate criminal cases with the election less than six months away.

Massive Crow of Trump Supporters

Thousands of Trump supporters, dressed in “Never Surrender” T-shirts and red “Make America Great Again” hats, gathered onto the sand between the boardwalk and carnival attractions to meet the former Republican president hours before he took the stage.

“The everyday American people are 100% behind him,” said Doreen O’Neill, a 62-year-old Philadelphia nurse.

“They have to cheat and smear him and humiliate him in that courtroom every single day,” O’Neill stated. “This country is going to go insane if they steal the election again.”

Trump has repeatedly accused the Biden administration and Democratic leaders in New York of exploiting the court system to prevent his return to the White House. Prosecutors claim the former president breached the law to conceal an affair with a porn performer that would have jeopardized his first presidential campaign.

On Saturday, Trump said that even those he accuses of politically motivated indictments did not pursue every case they could, citing the boosts his campaign has received with each wave of accusations.

“I heard they were going to do a couple of other things and they said from Washington … ‘we’re indicting him into the White House,'” Trump stated. “They said, ‘Don’t do it.'”

Gag Order from New York Judge

While Trump seized on his legal difficulties on Saturday, a judge’s gag order — and the possibility of incarceration — limit his ability to publicly remark on witnesses, jurors, and anyone involved in the New York trial, which is anticipated to last most of the month. The court in the case has already fined Trump $9,000 for breaking the injunction and warned him he might face jail time if he does not comply.

The order makes no mention of Judge Juan M. Merchan, whom Trump described as “highly conflicted,” or District Attorney Alvin Bragg, both of whom Trump claimed are “doing the bidding for crooked Joe Biden.”

Trump’s role as a defendant has reduced his capacity to persuade voters on the campaign trail.

He spent last week’s off-day from court in Wisconsin and Michigan, both battleground states for the general election. And on Saturday, he campaigned with tens of thousands of voters in New Jersey, a solidly Democratic state.

Parts of New Jersey contain deep-red enclaves, and the southern shoreline in particular attracts tourists and summer homeowners from neighboring Pennsylvania, a vital swing state.

Saturday’s trip to the New Jersey Shore resort was not Trump’s first.

While president, Trump staged a rally in January 2020 to celebrate Van Drew, a New Jersey congressman who had recently defected from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in response to the former president’s first impeachment.

Trump drew a crowd that lined the streets, packed bars, and supported countless merchants in what is typically a sleepy city in the winter. The summer season is almost here for the resort noted for its large beaches, boardwalk games, and shops.

Wildwood is located in New Jersey’s 2nd District, which Van Drew has served for three terms and includes all or part of six counties in southern New Jersey. It voted for Trump in 2016 and again in 2020, despite previously supporting Barack Obama.

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