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Why some migrants turn around and head back to NYC after free bus ride to near Canadian border

Published

2 months ago

February 7, 2023

Harry Miller

At the Port Authority in New York City, Ilze Thielmann greets would-be refugees as they step off buses.

Many of them were put on buses in southern U.S. states, where officials say they are unable to deal with the deepening migrant crisis.

Thielmann’s non-profit organization, Team TLC, and others like it get funding from New York City to help those new arrivals get where they want to go. The process is called “re-ticketing.”

Many of them want to go north, to Plattsburgh, N.Y. — the closest town to Roxham Road, an irregular border crossing into Canada used by asylum seekers.

A woman. — Ilze Thielmann, the director of Team TLC, a non-profit that gets funding from New York City to help migrants get where they want to go. The process is called ‘re-ticketing.’ (CBC)

“They want to cross the Canadian border and take their chances there,” Thielmann said. “They think that there are all these jobs up there. They think they’re going to be able to get asylum very easily up there and that’s just not the case.”

New York City is paying for migrants’ bus tickets upstate. Their next stop: crossing into Canada

Re-ticketing in New York City is not a shocking or surprising process, advocates in Montreal say. But getting a job is often not as easy as the migrants think and overburdened community services are struggling to handle the number of people who are crossing into Canada. As a result, Theilmann said some re-ticketed migrants turn around and come right back.

The New York Post first reported on Sunday that migrants in New York City were receiving free bus tickets — courtesy of charities funded by New York taxpayers — to go to Plattsburgh.

From there, many of them board taxis to Roxham Road, where they enter Canada illegally and claim asylum.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said in an interview with a local television station on Tuesday morning that the city has a partnership with charities to help migrants leave.

“Those who are seeking to go somewhere else, [we’re] not we’re pushing or forcing — if they’re seeking to go somewhere else, we are helping in the re-ticketing process,” he told Fox 5 TV’s Good Day New York.

“We found that people had other destinations, but they were being compelled only to come to New York City.… Some want to go to Canada, some want to go to warmer states, and we are there for them as they continue to move on with their pursuit of this dream.”

Not so different from Quebec

Eva Gracia-Turgeon, the co-ordinator of Foyer du Monde, a shelter for asylum claimants in Montreal, said she was not shocked to learn New York City was helping asylum seekers leave the city.

New York is aware “that a lot of people cannot live in that city anymore because of the prices, because of the lack of housing,” and so it gives tickets for people to go elsewhere, she said, “somewhere they can actually find a house or maybe meet a family member.”

The move, in her opinion, is not so different from migrants in Montreal being encouraged to move to Quebec’s regions, and New York City is providing migrants with safe transportation to reach locations they would likely be heading to anyway.

“I don’t see where the problem is exactly,” she said. “I think the problem is, for a lot of politicians, the fact [that] Roxham Road exists. And they want to point to [re-ticketing] as another element for closing Roxham Road, where it’s not the solution.”

“You can put a wall, you can close a road, but it’s still not going to change the situation. You still need to take care of the people you receive in your own province, in your own country.”

Abdulla Daoud, the executive director of the Refugee Centre in Montreal, says he doesn’t think New York paying for bus tickets for migrants is contributing to a new wave of people crossing at Roxham Road.

The bigger problem, he says, is the slow crawl of federal government bureaucracy that delays asylum seekers as they seek work permits in Canada. These delays leave them reliant on public assistance and overburdened community services.

The Quebec government on Monday announced an investment of $3.5 million to 12 organizations in Montreal, Laval, Montérégie and Quebec City to provide support to migrants.

“I appreciate Quebec’s announcement of investing more into community groups,” Daoud said, “but this should also be a federal thing. And if we regulate the crossings in a way, by cancelling [the Safe Third Country Agreement] completely, it will actually help individuals cross at different points throughout Canada. That way, the brunt isn’t just on Quebec.”

Suspend Safe 3rd Country Agreement

It’s a sentiment echoed by opposition parties in Quebec, who say the flood of migrants using Roxham Road demonstrates the need to suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement.

The agreement, signed in 2002 between Canada and the United States, means that migrants must submit their asylum application in the first of the two countries they enter and cannot try a second time at an official border crossing.

If they try to cross into Canada at an official land border crossing, because of the agreement, they will be turned away.

But the agreement only applies to claims made at official border crossings. If a refugee enters Canada illegally, via Roxham Road, for example, and then claims asylum on Canadian soil, the Safe Third Country Agreement does not apply.

Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said the agreement should be suspended so migrants stop crossing irregularly at Roxham Road, where the passage can be dangerous, and instead seek asylum at official crossings.

“It has been going on for too long already,” Nadeau-Dubois said. “It’s easy to play politics on the back of Roxham Road. It’s harder to propose pragmatic solutions that will work and protect people.”

Marc Tanguay, the interim leader of the Liberal party, urged the federal government to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement so “the U.S. takes more responsibility and doesn’t become just a crossing ground, that the U.S. doesn’t let states take these poor people and put them on buses that bring them to the border. These are people, not merchandise.”

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Here are 5 ways Budget 2023 will impact your wallet

Published

58 mins ago

March 28, 2023

Harry Miller

Much of the federal Liberal government’s 2023 budget is geared towards helping Canadian households make ends meet — or at the very least, for example, shaving a few dollars off the cost of a concert ticket.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland teed up the 2023 spending plans as providing support for vulnerable Canadians who are feeling stressed about their own budgets after a year of high inflation and rapidly rising interest rates.

Some proposed measures will make a direct impact on households, while others will change the kinds of charges and interest rates businesses can levy at Canadians.

Here are five big takeaways from the federal budget you’ll want to know about.

Tax rebate aimed at grocery affordability

One highly touted measure in the 2023 budget is a one-time tax rebate aimed at helping Canadians cope with rampant food inflation.

The so-called “grocery rebate,” as reported by Global News and others ahead of the budget’s release on Tuesday, would be aimed at lower-income households. It would be delivered through the existing GST tax credit mechanism, with an estimated 11 million Canadians and families expected to qualify to receive the support.

The rebate is expected to deliver $467 directly to a family of four, $234 to a single Canadian without kids and $225 to the average senior.

Despite the name, the government won’t be checking that the rebate is spent directly on groceries.

But given that prices for food from the grocery store clocked in at 10.6 per cent annual inflation in February and has remained in double-digits since the summer, groceries continue to be major stressors on household budgets.

The timeline for the rollout of this rebate is uncertain and depends on when and if the 2023 budget is passed in Parliament.

Cracking down on ‘junk fees’

In the 2023 budget, the Liberal government is declaring war on “junk fees” — defined as “unexpected, hidden and additional fees” that crop up on everything from concert tickets to airfare, from telecom services to excessive shipping costs.

Details were sparse on how and when the government would tackle these fees, but the budget said Ottawa would work with regulatory agencies, provinces and territories to reduce unfair and excessive costs on some common expenses.

The United States government recently announced a similar crackdown on fees as consumers have swiftly complained online in the past few years about the exorbitant amounts charged for tickets to popular concerts, for example.

While some measures in the 2023 budget might reduce what you pay on airfare, others could see those costs rise.

The air travellers security charge (ATSC), which is typically paid by passengers on their tickets and helps to fund security screening and baggage protection services in Canada, is set to rise under the 2023 budget proposals.

The ATSC rate for a round-trip domestic flight would rise almost $5 to $19.87 under the new regime, while an international flight will see the charge hiked by nearly $9 to $34.42 on a flight out of Canada.

Help on loans

The federal government also announced its plans to help Canadians dealing with high interest rates on some loans.

Debt-servicing payments have grown rapidly over the past year as the Bank of Canada raised interest rates in an effort to cool spending and take some stream out of inflation. A rise in the central bank’s benchmark policy rate affects multiple kinds of debt, including mortgages, lines of credit and credit cards.

For Canadians struggling with mortgage payments after a year of rate hikes, Ottawa proposed a new mortgage code of conduct in the 2023 budget.

Through the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, the document would direct financial institutions to provide Canadians struggling to make mortgage payments with “fair and equitable access to relief measures.”

This could include adjusting payment schedules, extending amortizations on the loan or authorizing lump-sum payments, strategies some lenders already offer to clients who are in danger of defaulting on their mortgage.

Beyond mortgages, Ottawa is also planning to crack down on payday loans and predatory lenders.

The budget notes that these loans often target low-income and other vulnerable Canadians with a promise of quick relief at the cost of “very high interest rate loans” that can end up trapping consumers in a cycle of debt.

The Liberals are proposing to amend the Criminal Code to lower the threshold at which a rate of interest would be considered criminal from today’s annual rate of 47 per cent federally to 35 per cent, in line with the current rate in Quebec.

Payday lenders would also be able to charge Canadians no more than $14 per $100 borrowed under the new regime, bringing it down to the cap currently in place in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Standardizing chargers for devices

The federal government is also planning to cut down on the number of charging cables Canadians have lying around their kitchen drawers by standardizing the charging port for smartphones and other devices.

Following the lead of the European Union, which signalled it would mandate USB-C charging ports for small handheld devices and laptops by the end of 2024, Ottawa will also work with international partners to “explore implementing a standard charging port in Canada,” according to the budget.

The document said standardizing the charging port on phones and other devices could lower costs for Canadians and cut down on electronic waste.

Also in the vein of cutting down on waste, the Liberals are proposing a new “right to repair” framework for existing devices.

Currently, fixing broken appliances or devices can come with high fees or face delays when specific parts aren’t available.

The government is looking to roll out a framework in 2024 to make electronics easier to repair with spare parts expected to be readily accessible.

“By cutting down on the number of devices and appliances that are thrown out, we will be able to make life more affordable for Canadians and protect our environment,” the budget read.

Automatic tax filing to help low-income Canadians

Ottawa is also looking to help the estimated 12 per cent of Canadians who don’t currently file tax returns take advantage of benefits they might currently be missing out on.

Starting in 2023, the Canada Revenue Agency is expected to pilot a new “automatic filing system” to help vulnerable Canadians who don’t regularly file taxes receive the benefits they’re entitled to receive.

The government also intends to expand its existing auto-file program, File My Return, which sees low-income Canadians file returns by answering a few questions over the phone.

Ottawa plans to nearly triple the number of Canadians eligible for the auto-file program to two million by 2025.

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PLAY to offer flights to Amsterdam from Hamilton airport

Published

5 hours ago

March 28, 2023

Harry Miller

Amsterdam will be available to Canadian travellers on June 22

Hamilton, ON, March 28, 2023 – PLAY, a low-cost airline operating flights between Iceland and Europe, has added Amsterdam to its summer schedule. Tickets for the new route are now available for purchase, and the destination will be available for Canadian travellers when PLAY launches its inaugural flight out of Hamilton on June 22.

As a transatlantic carrier between Europe and North America, PLAY operates from its hub at Keflavik Airport in Iceland, perfectly positioned between the two continents.

From John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, Canadian passengers can fly to Amsterdam for as low as $169. Travel for this new route will be facilitated through Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

Since its first flight in June 2021, PLAY has expanded its fleet from three Airbus A320neo aircraft to six in 2022 and will operate 10 Airbus A320/321neo aircraft in 2023. The average age of PLAY’s aircraft is just 2.3 years, making the passengers’ journey comfortable, safe and reliable. With a network of nearly 40 destinations and over a million passengers flown since its launch, PLAY has a solid track record of an impressive 87 per cent on-time performance in 2023.

In Iceland, PLAY is a listed company in the Icelandic stock market with around 4.000 shareholders.

“We are thrilled to launch our services to Amsterdam and connect more customers to our affordable travel options,” said Birgir Jónsson, CEO, PLAY. “Amsterdam is one of Europe’s biggest hubs and a vital destination for our VIA operations between Canada and Europe. At PLAY, our mission is clear: to provide low-cost flights and offer our customers more value for their money. We aim to give the competition a run for their money with our low prices, providing people in Canada the opportunity to save money on their flights and enjoy more experiences in their destination. As we like to say at PLAY: Pay less, PLAY more.”

Learn more or book a flight at flyplay.com. See media assets here.

About PLAY

PLAY is a low-cost airline operating flights between Iceland and Europe, and North America as of 2022. Founded in Reykjavík in 2019 by a management team with significant experience in the aviation industry, the company operates flights on new Airbus A321NEO and A320NEO aircraft, offering streamlined, no-frills service that allows travelers to pay less and “play more.” Safety comes first for PLAY. On-time performance, simplicity, happiness and low prices are the airline’s core principles. The airline seeks to enable passengers to see the world, but not without considering its environmental impact. PLAY is being developed with sustainability initiatives and benchmarks in place to track and reduce fuel consumption, offset carbon emissions, and limit waste. Learn more or book a flight at flyplay.com or follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @PLAYairlines. For media resources, visit PLAY’s online newsroom, flyplay.com/media.

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News

The Recipee Band Brings Back The LIIVE Reunion

Published

6 hours ago

March 28, 2023

Harry Miller

THE RECIPEE

Brings Back

THE “LIIVE REUNION”

“Are you ready?”

Toronto, ON – The Recipee Band’s live music experience that ran for 7 years returns!! April 6th at the Black Pearl Restaurant, 184 Pearl Street Toronto. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite with limited tickets at the door. The event is 80% sold. Don’t miss out on the iconic sound of Canada’s “The Recipee” band and their special guests, Mike Ferfolia, Jarelle, Oh! The Artist, Yosvanii, and more. The group are known for the passion of their music, combining R&B, Gospel, Reggae, Pop, Rock, and Soul. Their first single, “Edges Laid (Tonight)” is an example of the strength of the combined talent each of the band members brings every time they step into the studio or live on stage. 2023 will bring two highly anticipated singles from “The Recipee” followed by an album in 2024.

“The Recipee” band members, Jason Larmond, Otis Williams, Juwayon Clarke, Jonathan Kerr and Omar Lunan, continue to perform at major events with Juno and Grammy winning artists. Their soulful sound and ability to connect with sold out audiences everywhere is respected both nationally and internationally. “The Recipee” has performed with Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Deborah Cox, Andy Kim, Ray Robinson, Daniel Caesar, Brandy, Foxy Brown, Ginuwine, Usher, 98 Degrees, Jordan Knight & Carvin Winans as well as Canada’s very own Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, Divine Brown, Shawn Desman & Shawn Hook. With a Canadian Urban Music Award, and drumming championships, the group is constantly evolving… securing their set at the table. Get your tickets now to The April 6th “Live Reunion” Music Event. “The Recipee” will bring the house down!!!