Re: Just waiting for the inevitable
One of the major political controversies in Canada in recent years has been the large numbers of people crossing the border from the US into Canada and claiming refugee status. Bogus refugee claims have much less chance of success in Canada than in most countries, so most eventually have their claims rejected and get kicked back out. However, the recent large numbers have resulted in a backlog in the processing system, so that may take a few years.
Under treaty between Canada and the US, anyone who tries to enter Canada from the US at a normal border crossing and claim refugee status will have their claim automatically rejected. If they cross anywhere else however, then their claim must go through the normal process, with all the appeals, etc. as defined under official international refugee conventions. Canada cannot amend the treaty with the US unilaterally to try to address this loophole.
The US claim they are powerless to stop the large organised groups (let's call them "caravans") of people who pay to be taken to roads adjacent to the border and dropped off in a very few well known specific spots to make a short tramp through the woods and make their crossing where Canadian immigration officials collect them. The Canadian border officials tell right at the border to stop and turn back, that they are crossing illegally, but of course they don't listen. The Americans are apparently not given to introspection about how their utterly supine response to this problem contrasts with their vigorous complaints about Mexico not doing enough about stopping people entering the US.
The main centre for this illegal border crossing is in the southeastermost part of Quebec, with a lesser amount happening in southern Manitoba. Both are land borders (unlike with Ontario) and close to major cities in the US where these "refugees" originate.
Some political elements in Canada have been demanding that we build a wall (or at least a fence) to try to stop them. Nobody so far has suggested that we make the Americans pay for it, but it would seem only fair if they did.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
