The Canadian Press
Shane Gibson
EMERSON, Man.–Civic leaders in a Manitoba border town that has seen an increase in refugee claimants crossing over from the United States say the community will continue to be a welcoming place.
Politicians in Emerson met with RCMP, representatives from the federal and provincial governments, and the Canada Border Services Agency yesterday to address concerns after 22 refugees walked into Canada over the weekend.
The locals received assurances they won’t have to deal with the issue on their own.
“Everything’s gotten straightened out and it is good,” Reeve Greg Janzen said after the meeting.
“We are all willing to work together. There has been no negativity,” he noted.
“If there is more influx of bigger groups coming through, they assured us that they will have the manpower to handle an influx of refugees.”
An increasing number of refugee claimants, mostly from African countries such as Somalia and Ghana, have been risking freezing temperatures while walking through farmers’ fields to get over the border and into Emerson in the last few months.
Janzen said the unexpected spike over the weekend left the community of roughly 700 scrambling to find shelter for the new arrivals.
The chief concern among residents was any potential safety risk, but Janzen said “now we understand how the process is being done so that makes it more reassuring.”
Border services and the RCMP explained to local officials that claimants are searched and screened right away once they are picked up and before they are released to wait out the refugee process.
The town hall was opened to shelter refugees who walked in last weekend.
Janzen said the border services agency will rent the hall in the future if it’s needed again.
The RCMP are responsible for patrolling the border outside of official ports.
The force said yesterday it is increasing resources in the Emerson area to intercept border jumpers and take them to officials should they make a refugee claim.
Spokeswoman Tara Seel said officers have no power to turn a border jumper back–only make an arrest after they cross.
Wayne Pfiel works six days a week as a bartender at the Emerson Hotel, the first stop for many refugees after they get over the border.
He said of the 40 or so refugees he’s greeted in the hotel’s front lobby since starting the job three years ago, 25-30 have come in the months following the U.S. election.
“They’re cold. They’re wearing their winter boots and their winter gear, but they’re cold,” he noted, adding many come suffering from frostbite.
