National

Quebec ready to deploy 300 officers at border if illegal crossings into U.S. rise

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Jan, 2025 10:50 AM

The Quebec government says it is worried about migrants crossing illegally into the United States from Canada, and is calling on the RCMP to deploy the necessary resources at the border.

François Bonnardel, Quebec's public security minister, made the comments today in the provincial capital, one week before the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president.

For weeks, Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada's exports if the federal government doesn't improve border security.

Bonnardel says the area of concern is the Swanton sector, which covers the border region touching parts of Quebec, Ontario and U.S. states including Vermont and New York.

He says of the 26,000 illegal crossings from Canada into the United States reported in 2024, 19,000 were in the Swanton region.

Bonnardel says there are currently 800 federal and provincial officers operating in the Swanton sector, adding that Quebec is ready to deploy 300 additional provincial police officers within 48 hours if there's a marked rise in illegal crossings.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

The trial of two men accused of human smuggling is getting a look at messages the prosecution says prove the pair conspired to sneak people across the Canada-United States border. Steve Shand and Harshkumar Patel have pleaded not guilty to charges of organizing several illegal crossings of Indian nationals from Manitoba to Minnesota in late 2021 and early 2022.

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll

Polling firm Leger found 63 per cent of respondents to a new survey were in favour of the Liberal government's move to step in and ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order a resumption of port operations and move negotiations into binding arbitration. Nineteen per cent were opposed, and another 19 per cent said they didn't know.

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll

Bomb cyclone batters B.C. with hurricane-force winds, cutting roads and power

Hurricane-force winds of up to 170 km/h have slammed into parts of the British Columbia coast as a massive storm swirling off Vancouver Island severed highways and cut power to more than 200,000 people overnight. Winds from the bomb cyclone weather system exceeded 100 km/h in multiple areas late Tuesday, with gusts approaching 80 km/h at Vancouver's airport.

Bomb cyclone batters B.C. with hurricane-force winds, cutting roads and power

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

The Canadian and American embassies in Ukraine are closed to the public today after the U.S. warned of a "potential significant air attack" by Russia in Kyiv. Ukraine's intelligence agency posted a statement today accusing Russia of spreading fake messages about the threat of an "extremely massive" attack on Ukrainian cities and urging people not to panic.

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

'My heart sank': Trial hears diapers, mittens set off search for family found frozen

Diapers, baby wipes, little mittens and two toy cars — one red and one white — were shown in photos at the trial. A few hours later, metres from the border on the Canadian side, RCMP found the frozen bodies of a family — Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife, Vaishaliben Patel, 37; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and their three-year-old son, Dharmik.

'My heart sank': Trial hears diapers, mittens set off search for family found frozen

Doctor sexually assaults 4 patients

Police in Calgary have charged a family doctor with sexually assaulting four patients. They say four complainants came forward independently last year alleging they were sexually assaulted at a clinic in the city's northwest.