Latest news with #Liberian
Montreal Gazette
21 hours ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: We can no longer bank on exemplary service
I recently went into a branch of RBC asking to exchange $80 cash for $5 bills for my grandson's birthday gift. I had the cash in hand; I was not asking to make a withdrawal. Because I was not a client, the employee refused to fulfil my request. I then tried TD Canada Trust. After asking for a photo ID, that employee checked his computer, only to tell me he could not make the change. He suggested I go next door to a currency exchange outlet where I was welcomed with a friendly greeting and the immediate cash exchange, no questions asked. The two banks in question make billions in earnings. What has happened to friendly banking services? The days of giving exemplary service seem to be no more. Maybe my request wasn't substantial enough. Lori Lyall, Dollard-des-Ormeaux Diabetes Barbie adds to our ills The Mattel toy company is introducing a Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes 'in a bid to foster a greater sense of inclusion and empathy among children.' When is the left going to understand that it is fuelling the kind of backlash that U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters have for years been exploiting to swing the pendulum in the complete opposite direction? It should be clear by now that the left's aggressive and progressive agenda has contributed to the adoption of a more right wing and authoritarian one by the U.S. administration — with far-reaching consequences not only south of the border, but in Canada and throughout the world. Ian Copnick, Côte-St-Luc An English-speaker at the White House Re: ' Trump asks Liberian leader where he learned 'such beautiful English' ' (NP Montreal, July 11) It is a sad state of affairs when a U.S. president is so ill-informed about the language spoken by visiting heads of state. When Donald Trump remarked on Joseph Boakai's 'beautiful English,' the president of Liberia — a country where English is the official language — seemed genuinely unable to return the compliment. John Hall, Montreal Submitting a letter to the editor Letters should be sent by email to letters@ We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette. If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one. Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication. Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation. We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer's argument. Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or 'open letters' addressed to third parties. Letters are published with the author's full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published. We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dressing up ignorance as a compliment
Opinion Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump told Liberian President Joseph Boakai that he 'speaks beautiful English.' It barely made headlines, lost among the many offensive things Trump says and does on a seemingly daily basis. But for many racialized people, it landed with a familiar sting. It was a classic microaggression, delivered on a global stage to a man who had climbed to the highest rung of leadership in his country. During a meeting with five West African leaders at the White House, Trump asked Boakai where he had learned to speak 'so beautifully,' following up with: 'Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?' Boakai's government said it took no offence. What else could they say? Liberia has been heavily dependent on U.S. aid for decades, with American assistance accounting for nearly 2.6 per cent of its gross national income, according to the Center for Global Development. And now, with that aid recently cut, it's easy to understand why Boakai might have felt he had to grin and bear it. But Trump's comment isn't a compliment. It's a reminder of the often unspoken assumption that people who look a certain way couldn't possibly speak well, let alone lead a country. It's an insult wrapped in admiration, and one I, and many like me, have heard far too often. I still remember one night from my teens. I was driving with my dad down Academy Road when we hit black ice and spun into a pole. We were unharmed, and since we weren't far from home, we started walking. A white woman pulled over and kindly offered us a ride. We accepted, grateful. But during that short drive, a series of seemingly innocent questions began to reveal something else. She spoke only to me, even when asking about my dad, who was sitting right there. She asked if we had insurance. Then if I was in school. I told her I was in my first year of university. 'That's wonderful,' she said. 'Your English is really good. Where did you learn to speak it? It must be such a help for your dad.' My dad, who taught English, whose only language is English, sat beside me in silence. He had become invisible in her eyes. Her assumptions about our race overrode everything else. After the end of British colonization in our homeland, my dad was one of the first racialized teachers allowed to teach in a system that once excluded people like him. He spoke English fluently, yet he was treated as though he didn't understand. These kinds of comments don't happen in isolation. When Trump told Boakai he spoke 'beautiful English,' he wasn't complimenting eloquence; he was expressing surprise. To be fair, perhaps Trump didn't intend to be offensive. Hear me out. The White House later pointed out that he has complimented white leaders on their English as well, commenting on their British or Australian accents, for example. But that's not the same. Admiring a posh accent from a white leader is different than expressing disbelief that a Black African president could possibly speak English 'so beautifully.' It's not about tone; it's about expectation. And context matters. English has been the official language of Liberia since the country's founding in the 1800s. Trump's question didn't reveal curiosity. It revealed ignorance. It's the same kind of surprise racialized professionals encounter in boardrooms and classrooms when we're told we're 'so articulate,' with a tone that implies, 'You're not like the others.' These microaggressions may seem small, harmless even, to those who say them. But they add up. They remind us that no matter how well we speak, how many degrees we earn, or how accomplished we are, we are still seen as exceptions. The problem isn't that racialized people don't speak English well. Many of us are fluent in English and several other languages too. The problem is the deeply embedded belief that we shouldn't be. I don't think the woman who drove us home was trying to be unkind. I believe she thought she was being warm and welcoming. But kindness and racism are not mutually exclusive. Microaggressions like hers and like Trump's are rooted in the same idea: that whiteness is the norm, and everything else is foreign. I didn't say anything that day. But I've thought about that moment often. How small it made us feel. How large the assumptions were, based on nothing but the colour of our skin. In case you're wondering: my skin is brown. I was born in a foreign land. My English is excellent. My French is pretty good. My Spanish isn't bad either. But what I really wish is that I spoke Arabic. Now that's a beautiful language. Samantha Turenne is a Winnipeg writer.
Time Business News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time Business News
Trump administration has floated deporting third-country nationals to Africa. Here's what we know
Dakar (Senegal), Jul 13 (AP) South Sudan has accepted eight third-country deportees from the U.S. and Rwanda says it's in talk with the administration of President Donald Trump on a similar deal, while Nigeria says it's rejecting pressure to do the same. Although few details are known, these initiatives in Africa mark an expansion in U.S. efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. The United States has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe. While proponents see such programs as a way of deterring what they describe as unmanageable levels of migration, human rights advocates have raised concerns over sending migrants to countries where they have no ties or that may have a history of rights violations. Last year, U.K. Supreme Court ruled that a similar plan to deport rejected asylum-seekers to Rwanda was illegal. Trump meets with West African leaders Earlier this week, Trump held a summit with five West African leaders in the White House, which highlighted the new transactional U.S. policy towards the continent. Trump discussed migration with the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon, including the need for countries to accept the return of their nationals who do not have the right to stay in the U.S., as well as the possibility of accepting deported nationals of third countries. U.S. border tsar Tom Homan told the media Friday that the Trump administration hopes to forge deals with 'many countries' to accept deported migrants. 'If there is a significant public threat or national security threat — there's one thing for sure — they're not walking the streets of this country. We'll find a third, safe nation to send them to, and we're doing it,' he said. What African leaders are saying Liberian President Joseph Boakai told media in Liberia on Friday that third-country nationals were discussed but that Trump had not directly asked Liberia to accept such deportees. 'They're not forcing anybody, but they want us to know that this is the concern they have, and they are asking how can we contribute, how can we help?' he said. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau said Trump discussed the topic during the summit, but did not specifically ask for the African nations to agree to accept deportees. Other West African governments did not reply to a request for comment. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar, meanwhile, said such conversations were being held between U.S. representatives and several African countries, though he declined provide details. He said late Thursday that Nigeria would not bow to what he described as pressure to accept third-country deportees, saying the country had enough problems of its own. What's in it for African countries Experts say some African countries may seek to facilitate U.S. deportation programs in order to earn good will in negotiations over tariffs, cuts in U.S. aid or visa restrictions that have hit several African countries in recent months. Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the security consulting firm Control Risks, said countries may want to reach a migrant deal to avoid a situation 'where they lose access to the U.S. economy or economic initiatives and bilateral relations.' Those factors are especially important, 'in light of the withdrawal of developmental aid,' Ochieng told The Associated Press. What has been done so far So far, the only African country to accept third-country deportees from the U.S. has been South Sudan, which accepted eight deportees with criminal convictions, only one of whom was from South Sudan. It is unclear what deal may have been struck between the two countries. The South Sudanese Foreign Ministry has declined to answer questions. Alan Boswell, the Horn of Africa program director at the International Crisis Group think tank, said the South Sudan would have 'a number of reasons to want to placate a Trump administration, be that avoiding visa bans, warding off more sanctions against its elite, or generally trying to curry favor.' The decision has drawn criticism from South Sudanese civil society and some members of government. 'South Sudan is not a dumping ground for criminals,' said Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society leader in the country. Homan, the U.S. border tsar, said Friday he was unsure of the situation of the eight men, saying they were no longer in U.S. custody. Lawyers and advocates are concerned about that kind of uncertainty over the legal status and safety of such migrants, said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for Migration Policy Institute. 'There's a lot of confusion and lack of clarity over who actually has control of these individuals when they're deported to a third country,' Mittelstadt said. Rwanda's foreign minister told the AP last month that talks were under way with the U.S. about a potential agreement to host deported migrants, without providing details. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on a potential deal. Rights groups have long criticized Rwanda for their human rights record, especially the deaths in Rwandan custody of some perceived government critics. The U.K. struck a deal with Rwanda in 2022 to send migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in boats to the East African country, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay. But the plan was stalled by legal challenges and criticized by human rights groups. NB. (This story has not been edited by TIMEBUSINESSNEWS and is auto-generated from PTI) Author Credits TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Mint
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Trump admin floats deporting third-country nationals to Africa. Here's what we know
South Sudan has accepted eight third-country deportees from the U.S and Rwanda says it's in talk with the administration of President Donald Trump on a similar deal, while Nigeria says it's rejecting pressure to do the same. Although few details are known, these initiatives in Africa mark an expansion in US efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. The United States has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe. While proponents see such programs as a way of deterring what they describe as unmanageable levels of migration, human rights advocates have raised concerns over sending migrants to countries where they have no ties or that may have a history of rights violations. Last year, U.K. Supreme Court ruled that a similar plan to deport rejected asylum-seekers to Rwanda was illegal. Earlier this week, Trump held a summit with five West African leaders in the White House, which highlighted the new transactional US policy towards the continent. Trump discussed migration with the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon, including the need for countries to accept the return of their nationals who do not have the right to stay in the US, as well as the possibility of accepting deported nationals of third countries. US dministration hopes to forge deals with 'many countries' to accept deported migrants. 'If there is a significant public threat or national security threat — there's one thing for sure — they're not walking the streets of this country. We'll find a third, safe nation to send them to, and we're doing it," he said. Liberian President Joseph Boakai told media in Liberia on Friday that third-country nationals were discussed but that Trump had not directly asked Liberia to accept such deportees. 'They're not forcing anybody, but they want us to know that this is the concern they have, and they are asking how can we contribute, how can we help?' he said. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau said Trump discussed the topic during the summit, but did not specifically ask for the African nations to agree to accept deportees. Other West African governments did not reply to a request for comment. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar, meanwhile, said such conversations were being held between US representatives and several African countries, though he declined provide details. He said late Thursday that Nigeria would not bow to what he described as pressure to accept third-country deportees, saying the country had enough problems of its own. Experts say some African countries may seek to facilitate U.S. deportation programs in order to earn good will in negotiations over tariffs, cuts in US aid or visa restrictions that have hit several African countries in recent months. Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the security consulting firm Control Risks, said countries may want to reach a migrant deal to avoid a situation "where they lose access to the U.S. economy or economic initiatives and bilateral relations.' Those factors are especially important, 'in light of the withdrawal of developmental aid,' Ochieng told The Associated Press. So far, the only African country to accept third-country deportees from the US has been South Sudan, which accepted eight deportees with criminal convictions, only one of whom was from South Sudan. It is unclear what deal may have been struck between the two countries. The South Sudanese Foreign Ministry has declined to answer questions. Alan Boswell, the Horn of Africa program director at the International Crisis Group think tank, said the South Sudan would have 'a number of reasons to want to placate a Trump administration, be that avoiding visa bans, warding off more sanctions against its elite, or generally trying to curry favor.' The decision has drawn criticism from South Sudanese civil society and some members of government. 'South Sudan is not a dumping ground for criminals,' said Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society leader in the country. Homan, the U.S. border tsar, said Friday he was unsure of the situation of the eight men, saying they were no longer in U.S. custody. Lawyers and advocates are concerned about that kind of uncertainty over the legal status and safety of such migrants, said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for Migration Policy Institute. 'There's a lot of confusion and lack of clarity over who actually has control of these individuals when they're deported to a third country,' Mittelstadt said. Rwanda's foreign minister told the AP last month that talks were under way with the U.S. about a potential agreement to host deported migrants, without providing details. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on a potential deal. Rights groups have long criticized Rwanda for their human rights record, especially the deaths in Rwandan custody of some perceived government critics. The U.K. struck a deal with Rwanda in 2022 to send migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in boats to the East African country, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay. But the plan was stalled by legal challenges and criticized by human rights groups.
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Trump admin considers deporting third-country nationals to Africa
South Sudan has accepted eight third-country deportees from the US and Rwanda says it's in talk with the administration of President Donald Trump on a similar deal, while Nigeria says it's rejecting pressure to do the same. Although few details are known, these initiatives in Africa mark an expansion in US efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. The United States has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe. While proponents see such programs as a way of deterring what they describe as unmanageable levels of migration, human rights advocates have raised concerns over sending migrants to countries where they have no ties or that may have a history of rights violations. Last year, UK Supreme Court ruled that a similar plan to deport rejected asylum-seekers to Rwanda was illegal. Trump meets with West African leaders Earlier this week, Trump held a summit with five West African leaders in the White House, which highlighted the new transactional US policy towards the continent. Trump discussed migration with the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon, including the need for countries to accept the return of their nationals who do not have the right to stay in the US, as well as the possibility of accepting deported nationals of third countries. US border tsar Tom Homan told the media Friday that the Trump administration hopes to forge deals with many countries to accept deported migrants. If there is a significant public threat or national security threat there's one thing for sure they're not walking the streets of this country. We'll find a third, safe nation to send them to, and we're doing it," he said. What African leaders are saying Liberian President Joseph Boakai told media in Liberia on Friday that third-country nationals were discussed but that Trump had not directly asked Liberia to accept such deportees. They're not forcing anybody, but they want us to know that this is the concern they have, and they are asking how can we contribute, how can we help? he said. President Umaro Sissoco Embal of Guinea Bissau said Trump discussed the topic during the summit, but did not specifically ask for the African nations to agree to accept deportees. Other West African governments did not reply to a request for comment. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar, meanwhile, said such conversations were being held between US representatives and several African countries, though he declined provide details. He said late Thursday that Nigeria would not bow to what he described as pressure to accept third-country deportees, saying the country had enough problems of its own. What's in it for African countries Experts say some African countries may seek to facilitate US deportation programs in order to earn good will in negotiations over tariffs, cuts in US aid or visa restrictions that have hit several African countries in recent months. Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the security consulting firm Control Risks, said countries may want to reach a migrant deal to avoid a situation "where they lose access to the US economy or economic initiatives and bilateral relations.' Those factors are especially important, in light of the withdrawal of developmental aid, Ochieng told The Associated Press. What has been done so far So far, the only African country to accept third-country deportees from the US has been South Sudan, which accepted eight deportees with criminal convictions, only one of whom was from South Sudan. It is unclear what deal may have been struck between the two countries. The South Sudanese Foreign Ministry has declined to answer questions. Alan Boswell, the Horn of Africa program director at the International Crisis Group think tank, said the South Sudan would have a number of reasons to want to placate a Trump administration, be that avoiding visa bans, warding off more sanctions against its elite, or generally trying to curry favor. The decision has drawn criticism from South Sudanese civil society and some members of government. South Sudan is not a dumping ground for criminals, said Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society leader in the country. Homan, the US border tsar, said Friday he was unsure of the situation of the eight men, saying they were no longer in US custody. Lawyers and advocates are concerned about that kind of uncertainty over the legal status and safety of such migrants, said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for Migration Policy Institute. There's a lot of confusion and lack of clarity over who actually has control of these individuals when they're deported to a third country, Mittelstadt said. Rwanda's foreign minister told the AP last month that talks were under way with the US about a potential agreement to host deported migrants, without providing details. The US State Department declined to comment on a potential deal. Rights groups have long criticized Rwanda for their human rights record, especially the deaths in Rwandan custody of some perceived government critics. The UK struck a deal with Rwanda in 2022 to send migrants who arrive in the UK as stowaways or in boats to the East African country, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay. But the plan was stalled by legal challenges and criticized by human rights groups. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
