An NDP Member of Parliament is urging the Canadian government to intervene and prevent Canadian businesses from engaging with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Heather McPherson shared a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, emphasizing the need to take action against Canadian companies collaborating with ICE.
In her letter, McPherson underscored the importance of Canada refraining from supporting what she described as “fascist violence” that harms communities and endangers both American citizens and Canadians. She proposed that the government should prohibit export permits for companies supplying equipment to ICE and withdraw any public subsidies or contracts from firms involved with the agency.
The recent actions of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which has deployed federal agents to cities like Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, and Charlotte, have sparked concerns. Minneapolis is the latest target, with a significant presence of masked and armed agents conducting operations. ICE’s intensified activities in Minneapolis have resulted in fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents and the detention of a five-year-old child with his father.
Protests have erupted in response to ICE’s actions, with demonstrators demanding the agency’s departure from the city. McPherson expressed alarm over the situation in Minnesota and criticized the Trump administration for its alleged abuses.
Several Canadian companies reportedly have ties with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including tech firm Hootsuite. It was revealed that Hootsuite is providing social media services to DHS, although the company’s CEO clarified that their contract with ICE does not involve tracking or surveillance of individuals.
Moreover, concerns have been raised about B.C. billionaire Jim Pattison’s potential sale of a Virginia warehouse to DHS for ICE operations. Additionally, ICE has allocated funds for a substantial order of 20 armored vehicles from Canadian defense manufacturer Roshel.
The Prime Minister’s Office has been contacted for a response to McPherson’s letter, as she vies for leadership within her party, the NDP. Alongside McPherson, four other candidates have been confirmed to be on the ballot for the upcoming leadership election in March.
