Stanstead mayor wants border signs moved

According to Stanstead mayor Philippe Dutil, a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) representative is expected in town before the end of the week to discuss the newly posted signage blocking Church Street and hopefully have it moved.

Dutil said the municipality was not consulted before the two large signs went up on Friday, Oct.20.

The town’s building inspector did, however, receive a letter dated Oct.3 from the CBSA looking for the schematics and details related to the sign that was already in place on a patch of grass next to Church Street. The understanding was that there was an interest in replacing the existing sign, Dutil said.

No notice was given before the new signs were installed. Dutil said he was made aware of what was going on when he was contacted by Haskell Free Library President Matthew Farfan. In a recent letter to the editor, Farfan described the signs as ‘large and unsightly,’ going on to say that they make the area around the Haskell look like a demilitarized zone rather than a friendly community institution and heritage property.

When he saw the signs, Dutil said he contacted the RCMP, who was also unaware they were being installed.

Dutil was told the decision to install the signs came from Ottawa. He then contacted Marie-claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton-stanstead. “She (Bibeau) is looking into it,” Dutil said.

When asked if any other new signs had been posted along the border in Stanstead, Dutil said no, but added he was told that similar signage to that posted on Church Street had been ordered in two other locations in Quebec; both places were remote areas with no houses nearby, he said.

The Record contacted the CBSA on Tuesday asking whether the municipality had been consulted before installing the signs on Church Street, and what precipitated the decision to post them there specifically. By press time Wednesday the CBSA was unable to provide a response to either question.