OTTAWA, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Canada is doing all it can stop people smuggling across the U.S. border after a family of four froze to death in a “mind blowing’ tragedy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.
U.S. authorities have charged a U.S. man with human trafficking after the four – a man, woman, baby and teenager – were found dead in the province of Manitoba, a few yards north of the frontier with Minnesota. read more
“It was an absolutely mind-blowing story. It’s so tragic to see a family die like that, victims of human traffickers … and of people who took advantage of their desire to build a better life,” Trudeau told a news conference.
Canada, Trudeau said, was working very closely with the United States to stop smuggling and help people “taking unacceptable risks.”
The four people died about 6 miles (10 km) east of Emerson, a small farming community. David Carlson, head of the local municipal council, said there was no shelter at all in the area.
“There’s no lights up there. You would have probably been in close to zero visibility.”
Emerson said the incident was unusual since in the past, people have tried to cross into Canada from the United States, rather than the other way round.