Skip to main content

Trudeau vows action after four freeze to death at Canada-U.S. border in 'mind-blowing' tragedy

Share
OTTAWA -

Canada is doing all it can stop people smuggling across the U.S. border after a family of four froze to death in a 'mind-blowing' tragedy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

U.S. authorities have charged a U.S. man with human smuggling after the four -- a man, woman, baby and teenager -- were found dead in the province of Manitoba, a few metres north of the frontier with Minnesota.

The four have tentatively been identified as a family from India, part of a larger group trying to enter the United States by walking across snow-covered fields in a remote region.

"It was an absolutely mind-blowing story. It's so tragic to see a family die like that, victims of human traffickers ... and of people who took advantage of their desire to build a better life," Trudeau told a news conference.

"This is why we are doing all we can to discourage people from crossing the border in an irregular or illicit manner. We know there are great risks in doing so," he continued.

Canada, Trudeau said, was working very closely with the United States to stop smuggling and help people "taking unacceptable risks."

Local officials said the incident was unusual since in the past, people have tried to cross into Canada from the United States, rather than the other way round.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Tomasz Janowski)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BUDGET 2024

BUDGET 2024 Feds cutting 5,000 public service jobs, looking to turn underused buildings into housing

Five thousand public service jobs will be cut over the next four years, while underused federal office buildings, Canada Post properties and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa could be turned into new housing units, as the federal government looks to find billions of dollars in savings and boost the country's housing portfolio.

'I Google': Why phonebooks are becoming obsolete

Phonebooks have been in circulation since the 19th century. These days, in this high-tech digital world, if someone needs a phone number, 'I Google,' said Bridgewater, N.S. resident Wayne Desouza.

Local Spotlight

Stay Connected