An NDP Member of Parliament is urging the government to intervene and prevent Canadian businesses from engaging with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE.
On Thursday, Heather McPherson shared a letter she wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney on X, suggesting that the government should explore various measures against Canadian firms that interact with the agency.
“Canada and its citizens must not collaborate with or endorse violent actions that harm communities and jeopardize the safety of our American neighbors and ourselves,” she stated.
McPherson proposed that the government refuse export permits for companies supplying equipment to ICE and withdraw any public funding or contracts from businesses that maintain relationships with the agency.
NDP MP Heather McPherson shared a letter regarding ICE’s partnerships with Canadian businesses on X Thursday. (@HMcPhersonNDP/X)
Since the beginning of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed federal agents to cities he claims are plagued by crime, including Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, and Charlotte, N.C.
Minneapolis has become the latest target of the administration, with thousands of armed, masked agents on the streets conducting raids on businesses and homes. The Trump administration asserts that these agents are focusing on individuals who are unlawfully in the United States.
In the past month, as ICE has intensified its operations in Minneapolis, two U.S. citizens have been fatally shot by federal agents, and a five-year-old child was detained alongside his father.
U.S. officials claim that ICE agents fatally shot Alex Pretti during a protest in Minneapolis because he was armed and, according to Stephen Miller, an adviser on homeland security to President Trump, was labeled a ‘would-be assassin.’ Andrew Chang analyzes various angles of the shooting footage to assess the accuracy of the government’s initial statement.
Numerous protesters have taken to the streets demanding ICE’s departure from the city.
“What Canadians are witnessing across the border, in Minnesota and elsewhere, is alarming. The abuses of the Trump administration know no bounds,” McPherson expressed in her letter.
Canadian Business Relations
Several Canadian companies are reported to have contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE.
In her letter, McPherson cited multiple instances, including the tech firm Hootsuite. A U.S. government procurement site indicates that the Vancouver-based company is set to provide social media services to DHS, with the contract commencing in August 2024.
Irina Novoselsky, CEO of Hootsuite, stated on Wednesday that “what we are witnessing is incorrect,” but clarified that their agreement with ICE does not involve tracking or monitoring individuals.
Jim Pattison Developments, based in British Columbia, is under fire for potentially selling a significant warehouse property in Virginia to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement operations.
Additionally, B.C. billionaire Jim Pattison has also faced criticism regarding the prospective sale of a Virginia warehouse to DHS, intended as an ICE processing center.
ICE itself has allocated millions for a bulk purchase of 20 armored vehicles from Canadian defense contractor Roshel.
The Prime Minister’s Office has been approached by CBC News for a comment regarding McPherson’s letter.
Currently, McPherson is campaigning for her party’s leadership. On Thursday, the NDP confirmed that she and four other candidates have successfully met the final eligibility requirements to appear on the ballot in March. The other candidates include activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis, union leader Rob Ashton, social worker Tanille Johnston, and farmer Tony McQuail.