Bartamaha (Nairobi):- Some Toronto businesses and members of the Somali community say Canada’s ban on cargo from Somalia and Yemen might be a bit of overkill.

The federal government decided earlier this week to ban all cargo and mail from or going through Yemen or Somalia.

The measures came after explosives were discovered in printer cartridges shipped from Yemen, and intercepted in the U.K. and the United Arab Emirates.

The bank was imposed even though the shipments were not destined for Canada.

Abdi Kani Mohammed, who runs a grocery store in Toronto’s northwest end, said that even before the ban, it was almost impossible to import goods from Somalia.

“If you go around this store, there’s nothing from Somalia. There’s a lot of products we could bring,” said Mohammed.

He says Somali-made products might improve his bottom line, but he’s confused.

“I would love to bring a lot of stuff if the Canadian government is first of all allowing. But they never allow it. So, I don’t know what kind of cargo they [are] talking about,” he said.

Warda Abdi, who has lived in Toronto for 23 years, says the Somali flour on the shelf at Dixie Food that she uses to make traditional breakfast pancakes isn’t from Somalia.

On another shelf, plastic jugs of sesame oil are products from Somalia, but they’re packaged and shipped from the United Arab Emirates.

But it’s the ban on mail that most upsets Hussein Hashi.

He uses email to stay in touch with family and friends in Somalia, but that’s tricky for his elderly mother, who relies on the regular mail.

“I’m Canadian citizen …. how come they cut off the communication? That’s … not acceptable,” said Hashi.

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Source: CBC

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