Uproar in Quebec border town after U.S. apprehends 83-year-old man

[Newsjock]

Source: The Globe and Mail

All Clarence Rolleston wanted was a snack at McDonald’s after church. Instead, the 83-year-old Canadian pensioner and his wife were photographed, fingerprinted and threatened with a fine of up to $5,000 (U.S.).

Mr. Rolleston had made the mistake of driving across an unguarded border point into the United States from his lifelong home in Stanstead, Que. – one of a series of ill-fated cross-border jaunts by local residents that have ended badly and stirred anger along the normally peaceful international boundary.

The recent incidents led the mayor of Stanstead to do something that would have been unthinkable until now: He erected a makeshift barrier across Church Street, a border location whose absence of a gate has always stood as a symbol of friendship between Canada and the U.S.

“Do I leave a symbol in place and let people get detained?” Mayor Philippe Dutil asked. “At least this way no one gets into trouble.”

... The neighbouring towns of Stanstead and Derby Line, Vt., have always seen themselves as a single community split by an international border; they’ve shared such services as firefighting and waterworks and are linked by friendships and intertwined families. But a spike in what locals describe as heavy-handed interventions by American border and law-enforcement authorities has produced growing disquiet.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/stiffer-rules-infuriate-quebec-border-town/article1516454/

[BolivarianHero]

1. And what are the "progressive" Democrats doing about this?

Anything that Chimpy would be doing differently?

[The Wielding Truth]

3. Certainly an overreaction, but non the less a crime. It will probably

be dismissed with a warning.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. "The neighbouring towns ... have always seen themselves as a single community"

"The neighbouring towns of Stanstead and Derby Line, Vt., have always seen themselves as a single community split by an international border; they’ve shared such services as firefighting and waterworks and are linked by friendships and intertwined families"

That's the way it is along much of the eastern end of the Canadian border. I suppose TSA will be happy that the rules are obeyed when people die because EMTs or firefighters are held up at the border for a customs check.

[elleng]

10. Not a 'crime,' I think, but a violation of a regulation of some sort,

AND notice that he walked to the nearby 'station' to report his entry, as apparently has been the custom.

IMO, its Border Control who should receive the 'warning,' to pay attention to local customs and habits, and change their practices accordingly.

[The Wielding Truth]

12. Isn't breaking any law, no mater how small, a crime?

Even running a stop sign is a crime. Even jaywalking or littering. This was an overreaction, much like the way the word crime was perceived. I hope it will be dismissed with a soft warning.

[Posteritatis]

13. Given that there hasn't been a problem for god knows how long, even a warning is excessive. (nt)

[elleng]

15. Nope, if not 'criminal.'

Violations such as jaywalking or littering are violations of civil rules/regulation. Violations of criminal laws may be crimes, and may be subject to jail or prison time.

'violation of a law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public and a term in jail or prison, and/or a fine as possible penalties'

[The Wielding Truth]

18. Definition: Any violation of law, either divine or human;

an omission of a duty commanded, or the commission of an act forbidden by law. I'm not talking about a federal crime which this may even be. That would make it more serious. So let's not go overboard the other way and reprimand those who were charging the wrong doing. If it is,and I agree it seems,excessive then let's hope it is dealt with in a reasonable manner.

All I'm saying is let us not over react to this until, or if we find that there was an over reach of authority or meanness on the part of those who stopped the older gentleman.

You may be correct. I hope that it has no repercussions for him.

[elleng]

19. I appreciate your suggestion that we NOT GO OVERBOARD!

[The Wielding Truth]

20. Go Mountaineers!

:hi:

[anigbrowl]

21. No, although that's a common misconception

Criminal, civil, and administrative law are quite different things.

[sabrina 1]

11. What nonsense, there is no crime here other than the abuse

of an elderly man. If you lived in Europe you can go from country to country without being descended upon by the equivalent of the Gestapo. This authoritarian garbage is making a laughing stock of this country around the world. We look like a nation of frightened, scared wimps. 'The Land of the Brave'! Scared rabbits or authoritarian jerks, or both. But this is utterly ridiculous and the WH should apologize to Canada for mistreatment of their citizens.

[PhoenixAbove]

23. Agreed.

We lost the so called war on terror the day the Patriot Act was signed into law. This kind of over-reaction is insane.

[Individualist]

6. Of course not

They're following Chimpy's policies. Gotta safeguard the U.S. from those 83 year old Canadians, you know.

[Roland99]

2. That's obviously where the 9/11 terrorists came across the border

:sarcasm:

[BolivarianHero]

4. Anybody who defends draconian controls at the Canadian Border should go to Free Republic...

If I'm a European citizen, I can go to any EU nation without a passport; now I can't even drive to the NY town 10 miles away.

[elleng]

8. I'd agree if this were 'Draconian,'

but I don't think it was. Misguided, yes.

Draconian: cruel; also : severe

[elleng]

5. Surprising, as compared with my treatment some months ago,

driving south over a different, 'hard,' border crossing. Had a VERY friendly conversation with guard, who failed both to look and ask for 'contraband,' like those notorious Canadian fruits and vegetables!

Sure hope State looks into this. Likely they'll not hear about it.

[JVS]

7. The Canadian apple is prized for it's delicious flavor and nearly narcotic effects.

[backscatter712]

14. Border Patrol's filled with insufferable pricks.

The GOP's stuffed the Border Patrol and the rest of federal law enforcement with Limbaughtomized authoritarian pigs.

[marybourg]

16. Columbus, NM and Paloma, Sonora, Mexico had the same kind of

relationship, sharing water and wastewater facilities and fire protection as well as family and friendship ties. Now there's a wall between them. Should they get the same exemption or wink, winks being promoted here? Or is it just the northern border that should be permited exemptions from the law?

[Heywood J]

24. The northern border

hasn't been the scene of recent violence and a drug war, nor smuggling or mass illegal immigration.

[TexasObserver]

17. Oh, sure. He wasn't really on a recon mission for you know who!

I used to love traveling to Canada - before the post 9-11 nonsense was put in place.

Just as wolves use fear to herd sheep and other game, so Americans are herded by fearmongers.

[cali]

22. I used to live in Derby Line

sweet place. Citizens of DL and Stanstead are pissed about the draconian measures being taken on the border.