Canadian relief for Moore tornado victims denied at border

[The Straight Story]

A Canadian shipment of relief goods bound for storm-ravaged Oklahoma has been stopped at the Canada-U.S. border in Windsor, Ont.

American officials will not allow the 20,000 kilograms of food, blankets and diapers into the country until every item on board is itemized in alphabetical order and has the country of origin of every product noted.

Dennis Sauve, the volunteer co-ordinator for Windsor Lifeline Outreach and the food bank co-ordinator at the Windsor Christian Fellowship, the two organizations that gathered the goods, said it's a "physical impossibility" to do the paperwork required in time to get the perishable food to Oklahoma before it spoils.

Because U.S. President Barack Obama hasn't declared Moore, Okla., tornado a disaster area, the 52-foot trailer of goods is considered a commercial shipment rather than humanitarian aid.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/05/31/wdr-moore-tornado-relief-us-border.html

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. What the fuck?

Idiotic bureaucratic nonsense.

[OKNancy]

2. Is there a difference in declaring a "major disaster" and a tornado disaster?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/20/president-obama-signs-oklahoma-disaster-declaration

Something isn't right with this reporting or the border patrol are idiots.

[Nay]

3. This happened during Katrina, too. We were vacationing in Canada at the time, and news

article after news article in the Canadian papers said that lots of Canadian food/shelter shipments were being stopped, AND a huge aircraft containing vehicles and search personnel was not allowed to land at major airports. It was finally allowed to land (I forget where) and they started looking for stranded ppl in Mississippi, I believe, because they were turned away from New Orleans!!!! No one in Canada could believe any of this shit.

[JI7]

8. i can understand in some cases because there is a lot of planning other stuff involved

and sometimes it can get too much. in the case of katrina i don't understand since Bush didn't do anything so at least he should ahve let others.

but remember during Sandy when Romney had that photo op collecting goods to give out ? the aid groups said money was preferable. veciles loaded up with things would be more complicated to deal with. with money can they use as they need more easily.

[sammytko]

9. Why would you send perishable food from 1000s of miles away when there are

Big cities within driving distance from the disaster area that were not touched. DFW doesn't have food to send?

Money would be put to better use.

[Fumesucker]

11. They didn't have *money*, they solicited donations of goods

From the link in the OP.

Sauve's group secured skids of food donated from Heinz Canada, a refrigerated truck from ADT Transportation and fresh fruits and vegetables from a number of greenhouses in Leamington, Ont., southeast of Windsor.

"It was very rapid. By the hour it was swelling up in size. We were absolutely thrilled to be able to do this," Sauve said. "I had no dream at all it would be this difficult. I never dreamt we would be called to the table on being able to give this food to people in need."

And a thousand miles is less than 24 hours travel by truck, it's 911 miles from Windsor, Ontario to Oklahoma City.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distances.html?n=1206

[sammytko]

12. so there are no stores or companies left in Oklahoma that can donate?

[Fumesucker]

13. What does that have to do with the OP or my post?

Some people tried to donate to other people in need and you evidently see that as a bad thing since they weren't located close enough to the people who were in a bad way.

[sammytko]

14. The truck is in Detroit now. Will be in OKC on Monday

I think money is better.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

4. Give it to the needy Canadians.

This country is an embarrassment sometimes.

[Auntie Bush]

5. Do we have to do that when we give aid to other countries?

I think not. Why hasn't Obama declared it a disaster area? It certainly is! I wonder if that story is true.

[OKNancy]

6. he has, see post #2

Of course all the right wing sites have picked up this bit of misinformation. I was trying to google the story to see if I could find the source of this story.... only this piece and a bunch of right-wing copy and paste jobs.

[sammytko]

18. I think it was started by that Suave guy mentioned in the article

He posted that on his Facebook page. He was the one getting the stuff together, he should have made sure it would get across.

The reference to the non declaration of a disaster is gone from the article.

The receiving church's Facebook page doesn't have any mention of this except how happy they are about the donation. They have had a great response from locals.

[JI7]

7. i think i remember hearing Obama DID declare it a disaster area

[sammytko]

10. The city of Moore is telling people to hold donations.

http://www.cityofmoore.com/update-about-donating-goods-and-materials

[Honeycombe8]

16. Oh...too much stuff and not enough money. I've always thought money is best

in those disaster situations. If you're sure the money actually gets there. The problem w/giving money is that a portion of it goes to administration of some organization.

[Honeycombe8]

15. That's just ridiculous. You ever notice how the U.S. just REFUSES to accept help from other

countries? As if it's a macho "I don't need no stinkin' help" thing. Help was offered during Katrina, which we promptly refused or didn't respond to. When clearly we needed some help.

This just stinks. You KNOW they could forego the rules and regs in a disaster situation.

[sammytko]

17. Truck was in Detroit last night

Will be in Oklahoma Monday.

I looked at the church website. The church that is receiving the goods. There weren't any complaints there. Just mentioned the pending arrival of the truck.

[Honeycombe8]

19. Glad to hear it. I understand if they don't want more "stuff." But food...

could be disseminated quickly and would be eaten.