Canada intercepts 76 migrants off west coastA ship suspected of carrying 76 illegal migrants was intercepted in the Pacific Ocean off Canada's west coast, police said. Authorities including military, police and border agents "identified and secured a vessel displaying the name 'Ocean Lady' that was approaching the coast of British Columbia British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography " province, said a statement Saturday from the Federal Border Integrity Program of Canada's national police force. "Investigators have confirmed that there are 76 individuals on board whose stated intention was to reach Canada." Public Safety minister Peter Van Loan Peter Van Loan, PC, MP (born April 18, 1963) (sometimes referred to as PVL) is a Canadian politician. He is the member of Parliament for the electoral district of York—Simcoe, Minister responsible for Democratic Reform and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. said the passengers were suspected illegal migrants. "The signs do point toward human smuggling smuggling, illegal transport across state or national boundaries of goods or persons liable to customs or to prohibition. Smuggling has been carried on in nearly all nations and has occasionally been adopted as an instrument of national policy, as by Great Britain ," he told reporters in Ottawa. Police released photos of the rusted ship with dozens of men visible on board. The nationality of the migrants and the ship's registry could not immediately be confirmed, although Canada's CTV CTV Canadian Television (Network Limited) private broadcaster reported the migrants were all men from Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (srē läng`kə) [Sinhalese,=resplendent land], formerly Ceylon, ancient Taprobane, officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, island republic (2005 est. pop. and the ship's crew was Canadian. A search of international shipping registries showed a double-hulled oil tanker bears the same name as the intercepted ship. Police said the ship was guided late Saturday afternoon by the police and military to Ogden Point, near Victoria, where authorities began "health and safety and immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. protocols." "Our initial observations are they are in good health," said border official Rob Johnston. Health and immigration officials were on site to being interviews and criminal background checks "should the people make refugee claims," he added. 
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