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Bay Mills Indian Community protests volunteer treatment

The conduct of some U.S. Customs inspectors at the International Bridge remains an issue today with officials of the Canadian Professional Golf Tour.
CustomsIInspector

The conduct of some U.S. Customs inspectors at the International Bridge remains an issue today with officials of the Canadian Professional Golf Tour.

Most, if not all Canadian volunteers working at the Bay Mills Open were permitted to cross the border this morning, but tournament officials say the issue isn't closed because at least one customs inspector continues to treat its volunteers "like criminals."

The Bay Mills Indian Community, on whose land the Bay Mills Resort and Wild Bluff Golf Course are located, is also getting involved in the issue, tour officials say.

On Friday, more than 15 volunteers from the Ontario Sault were turned back at the International Bridge. Some were advised that their volunteer work for the Canadian Tour, a registered not-for-profit agency, was taking away jobs from Americans.

Last night, tournament director Michael Husby told SooToday.com that he'd discussed the issue with local border staff and was hopeful that mistreatment of tournament volunteers would end.

"It doesn't appear that the issue has been totally resolved," scoring director Bob McMenemy tells SooToday.com this morning.

Some people were treated like criminals

"Most people were very courteous," said McMenemy, who uses a team of 90 to 100 volunteer scorers, virtually all from the Ontario Sault.

"But some people were treated like criminals, very rudely. They were directed into immigration, where the people were almost apologetic," McMenemy said.

Last night, volunteers scheduled to work today were given letters signed by tournament director Husby and L. John Lufkins, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community Tribal Council.

The letters indicated that all of the proceeds from the Bay Mills Open will be going to registered charities.

Tribal leader to meet Monday with border officials

Lufkins is to meet with border officials on Monday to discuss their handling of Canadian Tour volunteers, McMenemy said.

One volunteer was so upset by the demeanour of a customs inspector Sunday that it took some time for McMenemy to get her calmed down.

"There was no courtesy," he tells SooToday.com.

"Some really nice people have been exposed to a lot of hassle because they wished to volunteer at an event," he said.

SooToday.com has been unable to get the U.S. Customs side of this story, despite phone calls to offices in Sault Ste. Marie, Detroit and Chicago.

Read more on the NewsBlogger

The media relations aspects of this issue are being discussed in today's NewsBlogger forum on our Editorial page. Go there now

EDITOR'S NOTE: The image at the top of this page is a generic illustration of a U.S. Customs inspector supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. It's not intended to depict anyone working in Sault Ste. Marie or at the International Bridge.


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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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