Question Period Note: Human Smuggling

An article written by CTV news stated that the discovery of four individuals who perished trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border is a sign that the country's immigration challenges are getting worse.

• We were all heartbroken to hear of the deaths of four individuals, including two children, near the Canada-US border in Manitoba. I want to share my heartfelt condolences to the family of the victims.

• The border between Canada and the US is the world’s longest undefended border. The RCMP is responsible for enforcement activities between ports of entry.

• RCMP frontline officers see first-hand these heart-breaking situations, and are very concerned for the wellbeing of those crossing the border in dangerous ways to avoid detection. People are putting their lives and the lives of their children at risk. Our officers are dedicated to first ensuring their safety.

• Human smuggling is a global problem that requires both domestic and international solutions. The RCMP works closely with its domestic and international partners to gather and share information for the detection and investigation of organized crime groups and networks that are involved in, among other illegal activities, human smuggling.

• I remain confident in the ability of Canadian enforcement agencies to work together to maintain the integrity of the Canada–U.S. border and to enforce Canadian laws, while continuing this country’s long standing tradition of helping those in need.

On January 19, 2022, RCMP officers with the Integrated Border Enforcement Team received information from their counterparts in the United States outlining that officers with the US Customs and Border Protection had apprehended a group of individuals who had crossed into the US from Canada, near the town of Emerson, Manitoba. Upon receiving this, a search was immediately launched on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. RCMP officers located the bodies of four individuals on the Canadian side of the border, approximately 10km east of Emerson, metres from the border. While cause of death has not been confirmed, it appears that all died due to exposure. U.S. officials allege that the family was part of a larger group of Indian migrants trying to cross into the U.S. from Canada and likely victims of human smuggling. An American citizen appeared in court in Minneapolis to face human smuggling charges. According to media reporting, that individual has been released on an appearance bond awaiting trial.

The RCMP Major Crime Unit and Morris RCMP Detachment are conducting a Provincial Fatality Inquiry Act investigation in cooperation with the Manitoba Medical Examiners Office under the Coroners Act into the deaths of the victims who perished. An important element is to examine the human smuggling component which led to and facilitated the victims entering Canada for the purpose of going to the United States. The human smuggling component falls under the mandate of Federal Policing and will be investigated by our D Division Border Enforcement unit in cooperation with the Major Crime Unit. Broadly, the RCMP is responsible for border security between official Ports of Entry along the border – both on land and in the water. The goal is to prevent, deter and detect illegal activity that may pose a threat to the safety and security of Canada, the United States and the international community.

Human smugglers take advantage of the large number of migrants willing to take risks in search of a better life when they cannot access legal channels of migration, which makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. There are many different ways of smuggling migrants; they range from simple to complex, from safe to dangerous and from cheap to very costly. The level of safety and ease of reaching the destination are dependent on the amount of money paid. Migrants with little financial means may opt for a "pay-as-you-go" package in which they pay bit by bit for different parts of the journey to smugglers who may not be linked with one another. These migrants are more likely to become stranded and be exposed to abuse. The more comprehensive "package deals" may be quicker, safer and have a higher guarantee of success, but they can also be considerably more expensive. Smuggling routes can be affected by long detours and last-minute changes in the itinerary to take advantage of certain border policies or weaknesses in border control. The routes may originate and end on the same continent, be transcontinental or involve transiting through a third continent. Two examples of routes commonly used for the smuggling of migrants are the route leading from South America and Central America (as well as Mexico) to North America and the route leading from Africa to Europe.

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