May 14, 2013 — Leaders on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border are pleased that the U.S. isn't moving forward on a border crossing fee.

The Department of Homeland Security recently asked Congress to authorize a border fee study. The department wanted to charge everyone entering the U.S. by land from Canada and Mexico.  Go to full article

May 08, 2013 — Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy has joined the fight against a border fee.

The Department of Homeland Security last month proposed a study to assess the "feasibility and cost" of collecting a fee from people crossing by land into the U.S. from Canada.  Go to full article

Apr 26, 2013 — Members of Congress from the North Country and Vermont are urging the Homeland Security Department to drop a proposal that could add new fees for travelers entering the US from Canada.

In a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napoitano, Vermont Representative Peter Welch and the North Country's Bill Owens described the concept as "a bad idea."  Go to full article

Apr 23, 2013 — Canadian officials say they have disrupted a "major" terror plot involving two men in Montreal and Toronto who were planning to derail a VIA passenger train.

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the pair were working with support from Al Qaeda elements based in Iran. Sources in the US say the men were planning to attack a train traveling from Toronto to New York City.

This news comes at a time when concerns are rising about terrorism activity based in Canada.  Go to full article

Apr 08, 2013 — Canada is aiming to woo bright young entrepreneurs with a startup visa program. The scheme offers immediate permanent residence to foreign nationals who are able to secure business funding from Canadian investors. But, there are mixed feelings in the US about the benefits of following suit.

Introduced on April 1, the pilot program will have an initial annual allotment of almost 3,000 visas for entrepreneurs who secure at least $200,000 from Canadian venture capital funds or $75,000 from a private investor.  Go to full article

Massena, NY, Mar 15, 2013 — A Pakistani man picked up by Massena Border Patrol agents earlier this week is being prosecuted for entering the U.S. illegally.

In a press release, the border patrol says it responded to a call for assistance from the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal police late Wednesday night, near Hogansburg, New York. The Tribal Police had encountered the man, who is a national from Pakistan, while on patrol in the Akwesasne community.

When border agents interviewed the man, they determined he was in the U.S. illegally. He was transported to the Massena Border Patrol Station for processing, and is now being prosecuted.

He faces federal court charges of the Entry without Inspection.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Mar 12, 2013 — The union representing border patrol agents says it's being unfairly targeted for spending cuts under the sequester, and that there will be less of a law enforcement presence along the North Country's border with Canada.  Go to full article

Cornwall, ON, Jan 07, 2013 — Akwesasne Mohawks sent the Canadian government a message of native unity on Saturday. Hundreds of people marched across the two bridges from Massena, NY, to Cornwall, Ontario. Several tribal chiefs were among the marchers.

The demonstration was part of a movement called "Idle No More" that's swept across Canada. It protests legislation that many First Nation people say threatens their land and water.

The protest closed the border crossing for several hours. Despite a history of clashes with border officials, the march was a peaceful, family affair, full of drumming and singing.  Go to full article

Burlington, VT, Jul 31, 2012 — Burlington streets remained mostly quiet yesterday after Sunday's large protests ended with a clash between demonstrators and police. Events remained peaceful. Members of the Innu First nation in Quebec held a press conference this morning in front of the Hilton to voice their opposition to development by HydroQuebec on their ancestral lands.

Approximately 50 protestors gathered in Battery Park for a peaceful Occupy New England event that featured political theater by Vermont troupe Bread and Puppet. Later, protesters gathered as conference attendees returned from a dinner cruise on a boat on Lake Champlain.  Go to full article

Ottawa, ON, Jul 23, 2012 — All over Ottawa, you can spot clusters of red bikes parked on street corners. They're known as Bixi bikes; it's a bike-sharing program that's supposed to make it easy for tourists to get around the city. There are 25 bike stations all over the dowtown area. And the same model is used in Washington DC, Boston, Toronto and Montreal. But as reporter Karen Kelly discovered, there are a few challenges to mastering the Bixi bike experience.  Go to full article