Joe Biden announced Friday in Ottawa that Canada and the United States would “work together to discourage illegal crossings” of their shared border. The American president also spoke about the banking crisis, the strikes in Syria and the fears of a delivery of arms from China to Russia.
The migration issue was at the heart of the meeting between Joe Biden and Justine Trudeau, Friday 24th March 2023, in Canada. The American president confirmed, before the Canadian Parliament, an agreement between the two neighbouring countries concerning the complex subject of irregular immigration .
Washington and Ottawa will “work together to discourage illegal crossings” of their shared border, which exploded last year and caused a stir in the Canadian political sphere.
The immigration agreement also includes a commitment by Canada to regularly welcome 15,000 additional migrants from across the Americas.
The United States and Canada, said the American president, are “two peoples” who share “the same heart”. And “in case of disagreement”, they strive to solve their problems “with friendship and goodwill”.
The “Roxham Road” Question
In the background of this announcement, the question of the “Roxham road”: a makeshift route by which approximately 40,000 migrants arrived from the United States in Quebec last year, bypassing official entry points.
Its closure is already worrying migrant aid organizations. “The impact on refugees in extreme danger is devastating. The result will be to push people either to attempt even more dangerous crossings in remote areas or to push them towards smugglers,” Julia Sande of Amnesty International told AFP.
Beijing had not “yet” delivered arms to Moscow
Joe Biden was repeatedly applauded during his speech, especially when he praised the two countries commitment to supporting Ukraine.
He also said in a joint conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Beijing had not “yet” delivered arms to Moscow, despite fears expressed about it by Westerners. “That doesn’t mean they won’t, but they haven’t done it yet. »
“I don’t take China lightly. I do not take Russia lightly, “said the Democrat, while also believing that the information about their rapprochement had probably been ” exaggerated “.
Washington and Ottawa are among the countries that have provided strong support to kyiv since the invasion of its territory by Russian forces on February 24, 2021.
No conflict with Iran
Joe Biden said the “United States was not seeking conflict with Iran” after ordering US airstrikes in Syria the day before that claimed the lives of fourteen pro-Iranian fighters.
“Make no mistake, the United States is not seeking conflict with Iran but is prepared to act forcefully to protect its people,” he said.
The banking system is not “about to explode”
Joe Biden claimed the “banks were doing pretty well” and he saw nothing “about to explode”. But the tenant of the White House, however, acknowledged that it would take “a little time for things to calm down”, while concerns about the banking system have been rocking global financial markets for several days.
