URGENT PLEA TO CITIZENS OF CORNWALL
WE ALL NEED TO PITCH IN TO SAVE OUR CITIES!!!

19 June 2009

Did you know that implementation date to arm all border guards

in Canada is 2016?

This is 2009!!! The Mohawks and CBSA have 7 years to work this out.

Closing this bridge has caused over 200 job losses (36 lay-offs at one
company alone), a drop in revenue to businesses by 30% in Canton,
Roosveltown & Massena NY, a drop of 15% in Cornwall Ontario and a drop of
25% in Akwesasne and businesses are already closing their doors!

Minister Van Loan who lives 650km away and doesn't really give a hoot, is
the person responsible for this.

All he has to say is "the new implementation date for arming the guards at
Cornwall has been postponed to June 1, 2013" and voila - why is he drawing
an unnecessary line in the sand?

And remember one thing:  the crossing is not closed because there are a
few elders under a tent manning the 24/7 protest (a few days ago it was

1 elder wrapped in a blanket playing a guitar), it is closed because the
Canada Border Services Agency guards walked off the job – period!

They are welcome to return anytime... the Mohawks are not saying NO GUNS
despite popular belief – they are saying no guns until we can discuss the
issues with said guns.

But no one is listening and Peter Van Loan refuses to meet with them!!!

Be heard!  Call or Email Peter Van NOW and demand that the implementation
date be delayed !

Call him at 1-877-738-3748
Email him: vanloan.p@parl.gc.ca

We need our bridge back and our friends from the US and Akwesasne back!!!

Todd & Josée Sauve
Cornwall, Ontario

____________________

Part of a letter emailed, faxed and mailed to

 

I beg that these four questions be answered as no one here can understand
why Minister Van Loan is being allowed to shut our cities down:

1.    Is the fact that we are very small cities (Cornwall: 45,000,
Akwesasne: 8,000, Massena: 13,000) and a tiny port of entry that sees an
average of about 8,000 travellers a day, the reason that we don’t matter?
Would the same actions be taken if this were let's say, the Detroit/Windsor
bridge and tunnel that sees 100,000 travellers a day?  Would it be kept
shut for weeks, months and as it now appears....years?

2.    Is there a reason, that Minister Van Loan is not delaying the arming of
the border guards at the Cornwall/Massena port of entry when the
implementation date for the arming of all guards across Canada is 2016 and
this is 2009?

3.    Can Canadian laws be changed so that a Minister of a riding 650km
away cannot have the power to cripple three cities, without any say from
said cities' own Minister or American counter-parts?

4.    Can you please provide me with further information for the steps I
must take, as a business owner, to apply for financial compensation? If
there is a form that I need to complete,  I will need an extra 700 copies
to pass on to all the affected businesses in Cornwall and Akwesasne,
and I also ask where my American neighbours can apply for financial
compensation from Canada… the US should not pay for this as this is a crisis
caused entirely by the Canadian government, and more specifically, the
Minister of Public Safety & Security.

As everyday cripples us more, a timely answer to my queries would be
greatly appreciated.

Todd & Josée Sauve
Cornwall, Ontario