COMMENTARYNo Simple Solutions

It would be nice if solving the problems we see around us were as simple as some would have us believe. It seems there is true bliss in ignorance, in believing that we can find solutions by ignoring complexity and failing to consider all the facts.

The challenge of the day is dealing with those who cross our borders, seeking refuge in our fair country. Are they refugees or border-jumping criminals? It seems simple enough, straightforward even. By listening to watercooler banter, you would think there’s no real question: “It’s illegal. Just enforce the law. Send them back across the border.” Or alternatively: “Have you no compassion? We must welcome them all and cancel the Safe Third Country Agreement.”

Simple, right?

These are oversimplifications. Complex problems seldom have simple solutions, and what seems like a simple solution often has unintended long-term effects. It may seem simple to amend or suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement, for example, except that doing so would have consequences on our existing immigration partnerships. Even if the agreement were suspended temporarily, that could cause a mass influx that is difficult to control. But just enforcing the law likely would have unintended consequences too. One consequence might be that closing or discouraging heavy crossing areas such as Emerson and southern Quebec may actually spread the crossings to a wider area, compromising our security even further.

It’s like choosing between a bucket of water with two large holes or a bucket with a hundred pinholes; neither buckets will contain the water.

As ordinary Joes and Janes, we have the tendency (and luxury) of simplifying situations to make them easy for us to understand. Ultimately, we’re able to spout whatever nonsense comes into our heads, whether verbally or on social media. And we are not required to educate ourselves before commenting, although that would be a good practice. Perhaps we should heed Abraham Lincoln’s advice, that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

Simply put (or not so simply), our leaders don’t have this luxury. We should expect them to educate themselves, to consider all the factors and make decisions that lead towards the best possible solutions for today and which don’t create new problems for tomorrow. This is their role, plain and simple, although it’s not easy.

I do believe that our federal, provincial, and municipal leaders see the complexity of the situation, although it may not always look like it. Most of what we see is politicking, which is a bit distasteful considering that we’re talking about human lives, whether those of the border-crossers themselves or the public officials and private citizens who are impacted. 

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Immigration, talks about a “monitor and prepare” strategy; this non-answer is typical of sitting government ministers, even though in reality there may a certain pragmatism in watching the situation unfold a little further rather than succumbing to kneejerk reactions.

The Honourable Tony Clement, Official Opposition Critic for Public Safety, says we need to “simply enforce the law,” supposedly without any inkling of what this looks like. Remember, this is just the opposition blindly opposing sitting government in the name of political points.

And I’m quite sure that the Honourable Ted Falk doesn’t truly believe that all the law enforcement allocations to Provencher will now be parked in Emerson to the chagrin of the remaining parts of the riding.

These statements are politics, plain and simple, and continue to fuel simplicity in the discussion. These coffee-shop solutions fail to delve into the depths of the problem to explore real solutions.

The recent uncontrolled crossings put a strain on the resources of small communities like Emerson, yet crossings at other points that are even less populated (and the border has a lot of these) would create still greater challenges and likely result in more medical emergencies, or deaths.

The immigration agreements in place, including the Safe Third Country Agreement, have been vetted and remain good policy. The truth is that geography creates challenges. Those trying to escape bad situations in Africa are often forced to travel north through Central America, taking them through the U.S. even if their goal is Canada. Many of these border-crossers never had any intention of making a refugee claim in America.

All people can agree that the current situation is far from ideal. In a perfect world, no one would need to escape their homeland. In a perfect world, everyone who seeks a new home here would be greeted with a sincere “Bienvenue au Canada” at an official port of entry. But that is not our world, and while perfect solutions are a nice dream, we must live in reality and accept that sometimes we must choose from a host of imperfect solutions.