Officials from the Canada Border Services Agency met with city leaders behind closed doors on Monday to discuss the ongoing dispute at the local border crossing, but it appears the discussion was focused more on past events than possible solutions.
Based on numerous accounts, there was little in the way of new information that was presented during the hour-long in-camera meeting, which took place in the council chambers at city hall prior to the open council meeting on Monday night.
Coun. Glen Grant said the meeting served to confirm what's been "in the news" lately, while Coun. Denis Thibault said they didn't learn anything new beyond what's already been reported in the media.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bob Kilger wouldn't discuss the meeting since it took place in an in-camera session of council.
Kilger acknowledged there's a great deal of public interest in the issue, and he would only say that the city is engaged in ongoing discussions with both the CBSA and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.
According to several officials, the meeting didn't produce any new developments on the fate of temporary customs post on Brookdale Avenue or the timelines for the new low-level bridge crossing to Cornwall Island.
A CBSA spokesperson said the meeting was held to discuss the CBSA's operations at the temporary port of entry and to provide an overview of the agency's mandate, role and responsibilities.
CBSA executive vice-president Luc Portelance and two other high-ranking CBSA officials participated in the meeting.
"The CBSA remains committed to discussions with all stakeholders to ensure a viable solution is reached," wrote Patrizia Giolti of the CBSA in an e-mail to the Standard-Freeholder.
Giolti said the CBSA remains grateful to the city for accommodating the temporary customs post at the foot of the Seaway bridge.
Council is expected to hold a similar meeting with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne in the near future.
Under the Municipal Act, city councils are allowed to hold closed meetings to discuss issues surrounding land and personnel matters, labour relations and litigation or potential litigation.
A council can also hold a closed-door meeting for the "purpose of educating or training the members," which was one of the reasons listed for Monday's closed-door meeting.
The CBSA has been operating out of a temporary port of entry on Brookdale Avenue since July following a dispute with the community of Akwesasne over the arming of border guards at its Cornwall Island facility.
The arming of border guards is part of a national initiative at all of Canada's ports of entry.