The Reeve for the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin says Thursday's multi-agency meeting fostered some good discussion. Municipal officials met with representatives from the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency and Manitoba Inter-faith Immigration Council in order to better understand the country's refugee processing system.

The meeting was called after nineteen asylum seekers arrived in Emerson last weekend and were housed at the community complex while they waited to be processed. This raised some safety concerns for Janzen and some members of Council. "...I got all of these agencies in to help us understand and see where we can help," he explained.  When asked if those concerns were addressed at the meeting, he said yes. "This was a one-off on the weekend when we had nineteen people show up at once, it maybe caught people by surprise."

The situation also sparked questions of future municipal responsibility in these scenarios. Janzen says everyone around the table agreed that they need to work together in the future and do what they can to help one another. "We're learning as we go too."

As for how the process will unfold in the future, Janzen says the steps will remain the same where the RCMP brings the asylum seekers to CBSA to be processed. He adds there is the possibility that a similar arrangement to last weekend's could happen again, implying that use of the community complex could very well be a part of a future plan in handling large numbers of refugees.

RCMP spokesperson Tara Seel feels Thursday's discussions went well and is confident the group will be able to put together a solid plan for the future.

"We (RCMP) are responsible for over five hundred kilometres of border...(and) I think with this recent influx we are definitely looking to partner agencies and come up with a plan as to best serve these folks that are coming across the border that need our assistance."

Chief Jeryn Peters attended the meeting on behalf of Canada Border Services Agency and says it's important to participate in these discussions and come up with a plan that will work for everyone.

"Everybody had a lot of good input as far as what their roles in the process are, it was very enlightening to hear from the different parties around the table and I think that we have made good progress. We still have some work to do ahead of us but now that we know who everybody is at the table, we can further those talks."

Also participating in the discussion was Rita Chahal, Executive Director of the Manitoba Inter-Faith Immigration Council, also known as Welcome House. She says first and foremost, she wanted to come down to thank the community of Emerson for opening their hearts and their homes and making sure that the nineteen people were taken care of. Chahal adds it was also informative to learn what agencies are involved at certain stages of the refugee processing process.

The Council also brought care packages of pillows, blankets, soap and towels that the community can use on short-notice should a similar scenario play out in the future. Members also offered transportation services. "We that we 

emerson asylum mtg1 2017 supplies
Care packages donated by Welcome Housedon't have the kind of situation that we saw on the weekend, but if it ever does then at least the community is prepared."

"We want to work with this community...to make sure that they are comfortable and to make sure the people that are coming to our country are welcome and comfortable."