Border under surveillance | “A climate of distrust,” denounces a resident

An ordinary walk on Covey Hill Road, in Montérégie, took an unpleasant turn for Pascale Bourguignon, artist and long-time resident of this border sector. Arrested by the RCMP, after being reported by neighbors, she denounces a “culture of denunciation” established by the authorities and “a climate of distrust”.

In November, while walking with her two adult children on a road that she knows by heart, Pascale Bourguignon was arrested for the first time by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). A patrol car first passed them slowly, before turning around to come back to them.

“The officer rolled down his window and asked us what we were doing on the road,” she said. I replied that we were taking a walk. When I asked him why this question, he explained to me that people were worried about the crossings and had reported the presence of a group walking not far away. »

An incident she attributes to the recent distribution of an RCMP flyer calling on residents of Covey Hill Road to report any suspicious activity, particularly individuals carrying backpacks.

“My children have black hair, dark eyes, they can have somewhat Mediterranean looks. I imagine that could be why we were reported,” she explains.

Hasty judgments

For M^me Burgundian, this type of initiative fuels hasty judgments and reinforces divisions. “Asking the population to indulge in denunciation is not the best way to create a friendly atmosphere and good neighborly relations,” she says.

His reaction highlights the difficulty for the authorities to reconcile the necessary vigilance at the border with maintaining social cohesion in this corner of Quebec.

For several months, Covey Hill Road has been at the heart of reinforced surveillance. The RCMP patrols this road along the border daily, supported by helicopter overflights and strategically placed cameras. This road, bordered by forests and properties, is known for its clandestine crossings.

Sergeant Charles Poirier, spokesperson for the RCMP, assures that the situation is currently calm, with interceptions well below the levels observed last spring and summer. “We sometimes talked about a hundred passages per week, but today, it’s only a few individuals,” he explains.

The majority of crossings are from Canada to the United States, although the RCMP remains vigilant against possible movements in the opposite direction, in light of President-elect Donald Trump’s promises of mass deportations.

The role of the RCMP

To better manage this reality, the RCMP has launched several initiatives. Meetings with local property owners aim to explain its mandates and “demystify” its powers. “There are people who have the impression that we can do anything. We cannot do everything: we are obliged by the law,” underlines Sergeant Poirier.

Border surveillance is hampered by the complexity of jurisdictions and the sharing of responsibilities between countries.

However, the simple police presence and arrests can have a deterrent effect.

The RCMP also acts upstream by targeting the logistics networks used by smugglers. For example, she raised awareness among taxi companies and Uber in Quebec after discovering that these services were often diverted to transport migrants.

“The smugglers no longer travel themselves, they order taxis or Ubers,” says the sergeant. This practice raises concerns, not only for public safety, but also for drivers. “If a migrant gets lost and, in the worst case, dies, the driver may be investigated and face serious consequences,” he warns.

Despite these efforts, Pascale Bourguignon criticizes the approach adopted by the RCMP, which involves citizens in reporting behavior deemed suspicious. For her, border surveillance is a responsibility that falls on the authorities, not residents.

She believes that this strategy fuels distrust and weakens relationships in the community. “When we walk in front of houses on the road now, we wonder who is watching us. It’s getting really disturbing,” she concludes.