With the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City a little over a week away, immigration and customs officials are stepping up efforts to make sure that violent protesters are not allowed into Canada.
Richard Saint-Louis, spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration said, "We are doing the same things we have always done, making sure those that have right to enter Canada are allowed in and those that will disrupt the peace are not allowed in."

Saint-Louis did admit that although procedure has not changed, immigration officials have become more vigilant in their efforts.

Immigration Canada's vigilance at previous events, such as the Organization of American States conference in Windsor, Ontario, angered protesters who think that they were turned away unfairly. A press release from the New York City branch of Ya Basta, a protest organization whose members attend demonstrations wearing pads, shields and helmets, stated that before the meeting in Windsor, "approximately two out of every three activists that attempted to cross the border from the US were prevented by physical force."

To make sure that American activists make it into Canada for the Summit of the Americas, Ya Basta, the New York City Direct Action Network (NYC-DAN) and a number of other activist organizations have teamed up with the Mohawk Nation. Mohawk Territory straddles the US-Canadian border and the border crossing at Connwall, Ontario runs through the Akwasasne reserve. Every year, band members open the border as an assertion of independence.
This year, the Mohawks' plan to open up the border on April 19 and have offered the activists hospitality crossing through their territories. Between 400 and 600 activists are expected to walk about a kilometre across the bridge that connects the United States and Canada before going through Canadian customs on the other side. For the Mohawks, allowing the activists to march across their land is their way of speaking out against NAFTA and FTAA.

John Boots, a member of the Mohawk Nation said, "We disagree with NAFTA. We've gotten very little out of the agreement, yet just a few miles from here is heavy industry that is effecting the river and air, yet we had very little say about it."

Activists hope to draw attention to the poor living and working conditions on Mohawk land.
NYC-DAN spokesperson Eric Laursen said, "We hope for a peaceful border crossing, however we have every indication that the Canadian government has been and will continue to be very, very, repressive."

He points to an April 1 attempt by activists to cross the border to attend an event held by the CLAC in Montreal. Immigration officials turned back the activists dressed as tomatoes and lettuce after searching the van without the activists' permission.

"The point of the event was to dramatize the effect free trade has on borders—that goods and services are allowed through but people are not."