High school students in Montreal have decided to cancel their planned class trip to the United States because a small number of their peers could face trouble at the border.
Roughly 100 Grade 11 students at Westmount High School had been planning a school trip to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia since 2016. Their itinerary included everything from a visit to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian to trying out Philly cheesesteaks.
After much debate, the students decided they will go to Toronto and Niagara Falls instead. That鈥檚 because at least three students were worried they could be turned back from the U.S.-Canada border.
Since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, at least two Canadian citizens from Quebec say they have been unexpectedly turned away from the U.S. border. In separate incidents, Fadwa Alaoui and Manpreet Kooner were by U.S. border guards. Alaoui said she believes she was sent back to Canada because she is a practicing Muslim. Experts have said Kooner鈥檚 case could have been the result of racial profiling. Trump鈥檚 name came up at the border in both cases, according to the women. Trump has issued executive orders temporarily banning visas for people from several Muslim-majority countries and also vowed 鈥渆xtreme vetting.鈥
Ethics teacher Sabrina Jafralie said her students were asked to debate whether to go ahead with the trip, after some students expressed fears.
Student Karlee Thomas said she has never been to the U.S. before so she was initially disappointed that the trip has been cancelled.
In the end, she decided it simply wasn鈥檛 right. 鈥淔or me, it was like we're taking everyone or else we're not going,鈥 Thomas said. 鈥淪o initially I was upset but then I thought about it and questioned my ethics -- would I be OK to sleep at night if I went without those three people?鈥
The Westmount students aren鈥檛 the only Canadians avoiding travel to Trump鈥檚 America. School boards from to , have cancelled travel to the U.S. in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Girl Guides of Canada said Monday that it to the U.S., due uncertainty about 鈥渢he ability of all our members to equally enter this country.鈥
Experts say many average Canadians are also uncomfortable about heading to the U.S. this year, so the country鈥檚
With a report from CTV Montreal鈥檚 Tarah Schwartz