Visit WMTC blog Visit
the We Move
to Canada blog to follow postings and discussion on the war resisters.
Poll Supports US War Resisters 64%
of Canadians want US war resisters to be allowed to stay in Canada according to an Angus
Reid poll. AWOL? Need advice? In the US, contact the GI Rights Hotline at 1-877-447-4487.
In Canada, call 416-598-1222. See our counseling memo
for more detailed information on the situation in Canada.
AMERICAN SUPPORTERS : Join the appeal campaign launched
by Courage to Resist in support of asylum for resisters – click
here
for more info. Help
us win this campaign Donate today! Video available: LET
THEM STAY: Voices of US war resisters in Canada Narrated by Shirley Douglas Produced
and Directed by Alex Lisman To order, click here
Supporters
of War Resisters Speak out after Federal Election
After
the federal election, Members of Parliament and other Canadians are speaking out
in support of US Iraq war resisters. Stephen Harper won a majority of seats, but
the majority of Canadians want US Iraq War resisters to stay in Canada. Check
back to see more videos.
Another
Victory for Iraq War resisters in Federal Court
War
resister Dean Walcott will be able to submit new application to stay in Canada April
6, 2011 - In a strongly worded decision, Justice Yves de Montigny affirmed that
the Immigration Officer who denied Dean’s application to stay in Canada did
not adequately address his conscientious objections to the war and the harsh punishment
he would face if deported to the United States. The court made it clear that applications
to stay in Canada on Humanitarian & Compassionate grounds cannot be properly
addressed unless “the sincere moral and political objections that motivated”
war resisters to refuse to participate in the Iraq war are taken into account.
Along with the recent
Federal Court of Appeal decision in the case of war resister Jeremy Hinzman, this
decision is very positive for US War resisters. But it is far from resolving their
uncertain situation. We again call on the Canadian government to make a provision
to allow war resisters to stay. We urge supporters of US war resisters in Canada
to continue to raise this issue at every opportunity.
During
the federal election campaign, we are demanding that Operational Bulletin 202
be rescinded. You can find more information and resources here.
MAKE
IRAQ WAR RESISTERS AN ELECTION ISSUE! The
current federal election is an exciting opportunity to raise the issue of US Iraq
War resisters. Canada has a proud history of welcoming war resisters, both volunteers
and conscripts. Canada refused to fight in Iraq, the vast majority of Canadians
oppose the Iraq War and last election Prime Minister Harper admitted it was “absolutely
an error”, but he refuses to support troops who came to the same conclusion.
Not
only has the minority Harper government deported US Iraq War resisters to US prison
against the will of Parliament, it has issued “Operational Bulletin 202”
— a directive that instructs immigration officials to flag all US war resisters,
labels them as criminals and claims they are potentially inadmissible before even
hearing their cases. According to Amnesty International it is “a violation
of international refugee law to suggest that deserters are automatically inadmissible
to Canada”.
The following resources are aailable on our resources
page and can be taken to campaign events and all-candidates meetings:
*
Posters (“We support US war resisters”) to put in your window
beside your candidate’s sign, and to take to campaign events
* Petitions
against Operational Bulletin 202, to circulate at campaign events and mail
back to the War Resisters Support Campaign
* Information leaflets (“Respect democracy, rescind Operational
Bulletin 202") to distribute at campaign events and all-candidate meetings.
These double-leaflets outline the context for Operational Bulletin 202 and how
you can help oppose it, including a question to ask at all-candidates meetings.
Please help circulate the above materials — which will help raise the profile
of war resisters during the election and give momentum for the road ahead after
the election — and feel free to report on any positive results to resisters@sympatico.ca U.S.
Iraq War resister Chuck Wiley visits Halifax
Let
Them Stay Week: Canadian MPs speak out for Iraq War resisters MPs
Olivia Chow and Mario Silva join Let Them Stay Week in support of US Iraq War
resisters:
Support
US Iraq War Resisters Join Let Them Stay Week, January 15-22, 2011
Join Canadians from coast to coast this January to show support
for Iraq War resisters, who are currently threatened with deportation by the minority
Conservative government.
From January 15 to 22 people across Canada will
participate in a national “Let Them Stay Week”. From film nights to
public forums, from music events to information pickets, events are already being
planned in Grand Forks, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Windsor, Sudbury, Toronto, Peterborough,
Newmarket, Fredericton, Halifax and St. Johns.
In Windsor, on Saturday January 15, activists braved the cold in support of
US war resisters
It was seven years ago that Jeremy Hinzman and his family arrived in Toronto,
after Jeremy refused to deploy to Iraq. Since then, Canadians have mobilized by
the thousands to ensure that US soldiers who refused to participate in the illegal
and immoral war in Iraq be allowed to stay in Canada. The overwhelming majority
of Canadians oppose the Iraq War and two-thirds support US Iraq War resisters.
The Iraq War Logs released by Wikileaks show that war resisters were right to
say no: by the US military’s own estimates, the Iraq War has killed more
than 100,000 people, two-thirds of them civilians. Many were victims of massacres
and torture.
Canada's Parliament has voted twice to stop deporting Iraq War resisters and to
let them stay—reaffirming Canada’s proud tradition of welcoming conscientious
objectors. But the minority Conservative government has refused to respect the
traditions and democratic decisions of Canadians, and instead has deported war
resisters to be jailed in the US.
Canada's
Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney has prejudiced the immigration proceedings
of Iraq War resisters by making biased comments in the media and by issuing a
directive to immigration officers that singles out war resisters as potential
criminals.
The
Harper government has been hoping that Canadians will forget about the Iraq War,
and lose interest in the plight of the principled individuals who said no to that
war. But Canadians have not forgotten – and Wikileaks has brought home the
cruel reality of that war once again. We urge all those who support Iraq War resisters
to make their voices heard during Let Them Stay Week and remind politicians, as
Parliament gets set to resume at the end of January, that Canadians want to Let
Them Stay!
For
event details click here. To organize an event in your
area or connect to activities already being planned, email resisters@sympatico.ca
or call 416-598-1222.
Wikileaks
documents show US Iraq War resisters were right
Canadians renew call for Harper and Kenney to let Iraq War resisters
stay
Newly released US Military documents from Wikileaks, detailing
widespread civilians deaths in Iraq, provide unequivocal proof that Iraq War resisters
did the right thing. The government of Canada should heed the will of the majority
of Canadians who support the stance taken by these young men and women, and stop
deporting them to jail in the US.
The leaked Pentagon files reveal that
according to the US military’s own statistics, the Iraq War has so far killed
more than 109,000 people, of whom more than 66,000 were civilians.
The
documents affirm the wisdom of Canada’s decision not to participate in an
illegal war that has produced widespread atrocities from the individual torture
in Abu Ghraib to the mass killings documented in the recently leaked files. They
provide further justification for the position of the majority of Canadians who
continue to oppose the war, believe the Prime Minister’s statement that
the Iraq War is “absolutely an error” because weapons of mass destruction
were never found, and support the US troops who came to the same conclusion.
By the Nuremberg Principles soldiers have an obligation to refuse unlawful
orders. Yet in a stunning move, Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney has sought
to label those US soldiers who refused to follow unlawful orders in Iraq as “criminals.”
Operational Bulletin 202, issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada on
July 22, flags US Iraq war resisters as potentially “criminally inadmissible”
to Canada.
Peter Showler, former chair of Canada’s Immigration
and Refugee Board, says, “The bulletin implies that military deserters from
the US should be treated differently than deserters from other countries. There
is no basis in law for that proposition.” Amnesty International Canada
has also written to Minister Kenney, calling for the withdrawal of Operational
Bulletin 202 because it “misstates the law and seeks to intrude on the independence
of both IRB members and Immigration Officers.” Minister Kenney’s
announcement that Canada will extend measures for Iraqi refugees, merely hours
after the Wikileaks documents were released, was deliberately timed to be a distraction.
“Of course our government should be doing more to help Iraqi families
who have suffered from this unnecessary war,” said Michelle Robidoux, spokesperson
for the War Resisters Support Campaign. “Minister Kenney must also stop
his vendetta against veterans who tried to end the Iraq War sooner. Minister Kenney’s
announcement today was timed to distract from his party’s record on the
Iraq War and the fact that he and Mr. Harper are deporting Iraq War resisters
who did the right thing.”
Parliament has voted twice to stop the
deportations and to let Iraq War resisters stay. Mr. Harper’s belated realization
that the Iraq War is ‘absolutely an error,’ will continue to be lip
service until he stops punishing these courageous men and women who, like Canada,
refused to participate in this unjust war.
Canadians
continue campaign to get status for Iraq war resisters
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Despite
support by the majority of Canadians for US Iraq War resisters, Bill C-440 An
Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (war resisters) failed
to pass at second reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening.
While
the bill received strong support from a large majority of opposition members of
parliament, it needed 7 more votes to pass.
“This
is a setback for Iraq War resisters seeking permanent resident status in Canada,
but our campaign to make the government respect the will of the majority of Canadians
on this issue is far from over,” said Michelle Robidoux, a spokesperson for
the War Resisters Support Campaign. “These courageous men and women have
the support of two-thirds of Canadians across the country, and they are still
threatened with punishment if returned to the United States.”
“Over
the past few weeks, some MPs had expressed concern about the scope of Bill C-440
as it was presented,” said Robidoux. “We will be working with opposition
MPs to find a way to give effect to Parliament’s two votes, in 2008 and 2009,
in favour of letting Iraq War resisters stay.”
Two
motions that were previously adopted by Parliament which directed the Conservative
minority government to immediately cease deportations of Iraq War resisters and
facilitate their requests for permanent resident status have been ignored despite
public opinion polls indicating that 64 per cent of voters support Parliament’s
direction.
The
Harper government has repeatedly interfered with the cases of war resisters that
are supposed to be considered on a case-by-case basis by making blatantly prejudicial
comments and issuing an operational directive that intrude on the independence
of both Immigration and Refugee Board members and immigration officers.
Coincidentally,
Wednesday was also the last day of the Government of Canada’s window to challenge
the Federal Court of Appeal decision in the case of resister Jeremy Hinzman. In
a unanimous ruling on July 6, 2010, the Federal Court of Appeal held that the
government’s assessment of Mr. Hinzman’s bid to stay in Canada on humanitarian
and compassionate grounds was substantially flawed because it did not take into
account his sincerely held religious, moral and political beliefs against service
in the war in Iraq. Jeremy’s case will now be sent back for reconsideration
by a different immigration officer in accordance with the court’s ruling.
The
government’s failure to file an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme
Court in Mr. Hinzman’s case means that the Federal Court of Appeal’s
decision stands.
“Canadians
expect that their government will treat everyone with basic fairness,” said
Robidoux. “Minister Jason Kenney must ensure immigration officers stop issuing
the cookie-cutter decisions that have ignored the Iraq War resisters’ motivations
for coming to Canada, and instead follow the direction of the court that each
individual’s circumstances should be considered.”
Vietnam
Veteran Ron Kovic salutes U.S. Iraq War resisters in Canada
Support
Bill C-440 – e-mail your MP today!
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT today to e-mail your Member of Parliament
and urge them to support Bill C-440, a bill which would allow US Iraq War resisters
to apply for permanent residence in Canada. The Second Reading of the Bill in
Parliament should take place in the next few weeks, at a time when several war
resisters are still threatened with deportation. To send an email message to your
MP, click here.
Cliff
Cornell released from Camp Lejeune brig
On
January 16, US Iraq War resister Cliff Cornell was released from the brig at Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina. Cliff was court martialed and sentenced to a year in
jail after Canada's minority Conservative government deported him to the US. Cliff
had sought refuge in Canada in January 2005, after refusing to deploy to Iraq.
He spent some time in Toronto before settling on Gabriola Island, BC where he
worked and enjoyed broad support for his stance.
Through
a letter-writing campaign asking for a reduction in Cliff's sentence, supporters
– including many from Canada – were able to win a one month reduction
in his sentence. This means he is no longer convicted of a felony, which may help
in efforts to ensure he can return to Canada.
The
Harper government bears entire responsibility for the fact that Cliff had almost
a year of his life taken away, in harsh conditions of military detention. The
deportation took place against the wishes of Parliament and of Canadians. It is
a travesty that despite the House of Commons voting to stop deporting Iraq war
resisters, our government continues to do the bidding of the Pentagon and the
US military. We successfully campaigned for the US military to reduce Cliff's
sentence. Now that Cliff is free, we will campaign across the country to ensure
he is allowed to return as soon as possible.
Victory!
Federal Court rules in favour of lesbian US war resister
Bethany
Smith (a.k.a: Skyler James) welcomes positive news in her effort to avoid deportation
to the US military
OTTAWA—Today
a Federal Court in Ottawa ruled that the Refugee Board must re-assess the case
from lesbian US war resister Bethany Smith (a.k.a "Skyler James"). Her
story was first captured in a feature article by Capital Xtra soon after her arrival
in Ottawa over two years ago.
James
came to Canada to escape what she describes as "daily humiliations"
and "constant threats of physical violence" in the US military. Her
lawyer has made a persuasive case against deporting her back to a situation where
her very life could be at risk. As of today a Federal Court in Ottawa has compelled
the Refugee Board to re-assess James's case based on new criteria. The decision
is seen by supporters as major breakthrough in James's efforts to avoid deportation
to the US military.
U.S.
Iraq War resister and Veteran Rodney Watson speaks in Vancouver, B.C. - Sept.
10/09
Statement regarding the situation of U.S. Iraq War resister Rodney Watson
VANCOUVER—The
War Resisters Support Campaign is a network of volunteers working together to
provide assistance to members of the U.S. military seeking refuge in Canada as
a result of their opposition to the illegal war in Iraq. Groups exist in many
centres across the country and include a wide diversity of age and origin including
many former U.S. citizens welcomed to our country during the Vietnam era.
The
Campaign was initiated following the arrival of Jeremy Hinzman in 2004, the first
of the new generation of conscientious resisters. Our work has focused primarily
on assisting these young men and women in the legal aspect of their search for
refuge in Canada, and in lobbying for a provision to be enacted that would ensure
that U.S. Iraq War resisters are allowed to remain in Canada rather than face
imprisonment or forced participation in an illegal war.
The
War Resisters Support Campaign works within the Canadian legal and political systems.
We also work in consultation with, and respect for, each individual resister with
regard to their wishes and choices. With respect to Rodney Watson's decision to
request and accept sanctuary from the congregation of the First United Church
we are appreciative of the church members' courageous moral stance.
We
are also in agreement that this choice, by both Rodney and the church, is consistent
with Canadian traditions and values of peaceful resistance to unjust decisions
by government. We reiterate that through two majority votes, Parliament has called
on the Government of Canada to stop the deportation of these war resisters. This
reflects the majority view in this country as expressed in public opinion polls.
Yet the Government of Canada has chosen to ignore both Parliament's direction
and the will of Canadians.
It
would be unconscionable to deport Rodney Watson, separating him from his Canadian
fiancée and son, after Canadians and their political representatives have
spoken so clearly. The punishment faced by resisters who have already been forced
back to the U.S. by the Conservative minority government has been exceptionally
harsh because they spoke out against the war – a war that Canada chose not
to participate in. This is the fate that certainly awaits Rodney if he is forced
back to the U.S. against his will.
We
call on all Canadians who agree with Rodney's decision not to participate in the
Iraq War, to support the stand that he and the First United Church have taken.
Write, email, phone or personally contact your Member of Parliament and urge them
to call on the Government of Canada to respect the will of Parliament and end
the threat of deportation against Rodney Watson.
We
urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to halt
all efforts to deport Rodney Watson and all of the other resisters who are facing
persecution if forced back into the United States.
Iraq
War Resister supporters confront Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Toronto
Bill
in Support of U.S. Iraq War Resisters introduced in House of Commons
September 17, 2009: Bill C-440,
a bill in support of US Iraq War resisters, was introduced in the House of Commons
today. MP Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park) introduced the bill, seconded by
Bill Siksay (Burnaby-Douglas).
This is an extremely important step forward
for the campaign to ensure that US Iraq War resisters are allowed to stay in Canada.
If adopted, the bill will give legal weight to the motion already passed twice
in Parliament in support of war resisters, which has been ignored by the minority
Conservative government.
See the Campaign's press release on the new bill
here.
PLEASE take
a moment to send a message to Gerard Kennedy and Bill Siksay, and copy the Opposition
party leaders and the immigration critics – here are some points to include
in your message:
* thank the Members and opposition parties for their
efforts in passing two motions in the House of Commons in support of U.S. Iraq
War resisters. * thank the Members for introducing this important bill
* remind them that several Iraq war resisters are under imminent threat of deportation
to the United States, where they face court-martial and jail time * call on
all Members of the Opposition to help move the bill forward as quickly as possible,
and to work hard alongside thousands of Canadians to stop any impending deportations.
PICKET
FOR RODNEY WATSON Supporters of Rodney
Watson picketed outside of a Conservative fundraiser in King City where Immigration
Minister Jason Kenney was the key note speaker. Picketers continue to call on
the Minister to stop the deportation of Rodney Watson, and to respect the parliamentary
motion calling on the government to allow US Iraq war resisters to stay in Canada.
STOP
THE DEPORTATION OF WAR RESISTER RODNEY WATSON!
PICKET
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION JASON KENNEY Friday September 11, 2009
•
Buses leave from the Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto at 4:30 pm •
Buses will return at approximately 9:00 pm
The
minority Conservative government is deporting US war resister Rodney Watson back
to the US, where he faces punishment for refusing to redeploy to Iraq.
Rodney,
who currently lives in Vancouver, served a year in Iraq and when his contract
was unilaterally extended, he refused a second deployment to Iraq. He has been
ordered to leave Canada on September 11, 2009. "I realized the war had nothing
to do with 9/11 or helping Iraqis or stopping terrorists," said Watson. "It's
all about guarding oil for the U.S."
Canada's
Parliament, supported by a majority of Canadians, has voted twice demanding that
the Harper government stop the deportations and allow US Iraq war resisters to
stay. Stephen Harper admitted in 2008 that the Iraq war was "absolutely an
error" but his government has deported two war resisters to jail in the US
for refusing to participate in the war.
On
September 11th, Rodney’s supporters in the Toronto area will protest at a
Conservative party fundraiser where Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney will
be speaking. We will demand that Kenney respect the democratic will of Parliament,
and immediately stop the deportation of Rodney Watson and the other war resisters.
B.C.
Members of Parliament urge government to stop the deportation of Rodney Watson
Seven
Members of Parliament from British Columbia have sent a letter to Immigration
Minister Jason Kenney, urging him to "immediately intervene to cease all
deporation action against Mr. Watson and to allow him to remain in Canada.
Support Cliff Cornell Against
the will of Parliament and against the will of Canadians, U.S. Iraq war resister
Cliff Cornell was forced to leave Canada in January 2009. He was arrested when
he crossed the border into the United States and court-martialled. Cliff is now
serving a 12 month sentence in military prison because of his refusal to participate
in the illegal and immoral war in Iraq.
While we continue to fight to
ensure that the government of Stephen Harper respects democracy and allows US
Iraq war resisters to stay in Canada so that they are not jailed for refusing
to participate in a war which Prime Minister Harper has admitted was "absolutely
an error", please take a few minutes to send a letter to Cliff to lend him
support while he is in the brig. You can send letters to:
The following letter was
sent from Cliff's adoptive parents to his friends and supporters in Canada:
Dear WRSC, My husband
and I want to tell you all how much we appreciate the things you have done to
help our son Cliff Cornell.
You were there to greet and welcome him when
he first crossed the border into Canada and you have always been there for him
since.
Knowing that he had such compassionate and dedicated people to
aid him when he was so far from home eased our hearts and souls.
So,
THANK YOU and you will always be a part of our family! With Love and in Peace…Annie
and Jim Nichols
Rally
for Rodney Watson! Wednesday August 19, 2009
A day to stop the deportation of Iraq War Resister RODNEY WATSON
The
Conservative government has decided to continue to ignore the direction of Parliament
and deport US war resister Rodney Watson back to the US where he faces punishment
for refusing to redeploy to Iraq.
Rodney,
who currently lives in Vancouver, served a year in Iraq and when his contract
was unilaterally extended, he refused a second deployment to Iraq.
"I
realized the war had nothing to do with 9/11 or helping Iraqis or stopping terrorists,"
said Watson. "It's all about guarding oil for the U.S."
Canada's
Parliament, supported by a majority of Canadians, has repeatedly called on the
Harper government to stop the deportations and allow war resisters to stay.
On
August 19th, let’s send a message from all across the country that Canadians
want the deportations to stop now. Even if you have written or called before,
it is very important that you contact these politicians again.
Please
call or email the Immigration Minister, the Parliamentary Secretaries to the minister,
and the Prime Minister.
Ask
them to honour the will of Parliament, and stop the deportation of Rodney Watson
and the other war resisters.
Remind
them that 64% of Canadians want U.S. Iraq war resisters to stay and that all three
opposition party's immigration critics have called on the government not use the
summer recess to disregard the expressed will of Parliament.
Please
CALL, EMAIL, FAX or WRITE A LETTER to:
•
The Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Citizenship
and Immigration Canada Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1 Fax: 613.992.1920 Phone:
613.954.1064 (Ministry office) or 613.992.2235 (Parliamentary office) email:
minister@cic.gc.ca AND kenney.j@parl.gc.ca
• Alice
Wong, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Kenney Phone: 604.775.5790 (riding
office) or 1.877.775.5790 (Ottawa office) Email: WongA1@parl.gc.ca
AND wonga@parl.gc.ca
•
Rick Dykstra, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Kenney Phone: 905.934.6767
(riding office) or 613.992.3352 (Ottawa office) Email: dykstr@parl.gc.ca
•
The Right Hon. Stephen Harper Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington
Street Ottawa K1A 0A2 Fax: 613.941.6900 Phone: 613.992.4211 E-mail:
pm@pm.gc.ca
Iraq
War resister Kimberly Rivera wins in Federal Court On
Tuesday August 11, the Federal Court of Canada granted Kimberly Rivera a new Pre-Removal
Risk Assessment (PRRA). The judicial review hearing took place on July 8 before
Federal Court Judge the Honourable James Russell.
Justice
Russell found that the PRRA Officer did not deal properly with the risk that Kim
Rivera would face differential prosecution on the basis of her opposition to the
Iraq War.
As
a result of the ruling Rivera is entitled to a new decision in her PRRA, a process
that may take up to four months.
War
Resister Rodney Watson receives short extension Rodney
Watson has received a short extension on his time in Canada and so was not forced
to leave on Aug. 10. The pressure is on to make sure he doesn't have to leave
- EVER.
Click here to see how you can take action
to help Rodney.
Reason
#1 to Let War Resisters Stay - Stephen Harper admits the Iraq War was "absolutely
an error"
Canadian
MPs back war resisters at vigil for Rodney Watson As
Iraq war resister Rodney Watson faces imminent deportation by the Harper government
from Vancouver to court martial in the U.S. for opposing the war, Toronto supporters
handed out 800 leaflets at a local vigil and two Members of Parliament spoke in
support of letting war resisters stay.
Please watch these videos and scroll
down to see how you can take action in support of Rodney and other US Iraq war
resisters.
URGENT:
Keep Iraq war resister Rodney Watson in Canada!
(August
5, 2009) – Despite a written request from all three opposition parties' Immigration
Critics for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to honour the direction
of Parliament and “not to use the Parliamentary recess to disregard the expressed
will of the House of Commons with respect to the fair treatment of Iraq War resisters
in Canada”, U.S. Iraq war resister Rodney Watson faces removal from Canada
on August 10.
Rodney
is an Iraq War veteran who came to Canada in 2007 after refusing a second tour
to Iraq. After seeing the way the U.S. was treating people in Iraq, he left the
army because he refused to risk his life in a war for oil. He lives in Vancouver.
Rodney
also has an 8-month old Canadian son who needs his father to be in Canada to help
raise him.
Here
is something you can do from home:
Please
call or email the Immigration Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary to the minister
and the Prime Minister.
Ask
them to honour the will of Parliament, and stop the deportation of Rodney Watson
and the other war resisters.
Remind
them that 64% of Canadians want U.S. Iraq war resisters to stay and that all three
opposition party's immigration critics have called on the government not use the
summer recess to disregard the expressed will of Parliament.
The
Right Hon. Stephen Harper Phone: (613) 992-4211 E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
Minister
of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry office)
or 613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office) Or email him at: minister@cic.gc.ca
or Kenney.j@parl.gc.ca
Alice
Wong, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Kenney Call 604-775-5790 (riding
office) 1-877-775-5790 (Ottawa office) E-Mail: WongA1@parl.gc.ca
Please
cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney or Alice Wong: Liberal
party immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: bevilacqua.m@parl.gc.ca
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: chow.o@parl.gc.ca
Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: st-cyr.t@parl.gc.ca
Federal
Immigration Critics call for war resisters to stay In
a joint letter to Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney, the three opposition Immigration
Critics urged the government to respect
the direction of the House of Commons and cease any removal proceedings against
U.S. Iraq war resisters.
As Parliament rose for the summer, the critics
reminded the government that the House has passed a motion twice in support of
war resisters and called on the governmento not use the summer recess to disregard
the expressed will of Parliament.
Read the full letter - english
| french Iraq war resister Cliff Cornell sentenced
to 12 months U.S.
Iraq war resister Cliff Cornell was sentenced today to 12 months and received
a bad conduct discharge for his refusal to participate in the war in Iraq. Cliff
came to Canada in January 2005 because he knew he could not take part in the illegal
and immoral war in Iraq.
Cliff was forced out of Canada in January 2009
by the government of Stephen Harper. In spite of a motion passed by the House
of Commons calling on the government to allow war resisters to stay in Canada,
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney refused to intervene in Cliff's case and forced
him to return to the U.S. where he faced certain court martial and punishment
for his refusal to deploy to Iraq.
Federal
court grants US Iraq War Resister Kimberly Rivera judicial review On
April 21 Federal Court of Canada granted Kimberly Rivera leave to appeal the decision
in her Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA). The Federal Court will hear the appeal
on July 8.
The War Resisters Support Campaign is renewing its call
on the federal government to implement the motion that was passed by Parliament
on June 3, 2008 and again on March 30, 2009.
Canadian
Parliament Reaffirms Support for US Iraq War Resisters The
Canadian House of Commons has reaffirmed it's support for US Iraq War Resisters,
passing the same motion which was passed on June 3, 2008, calling on the minority
Conservative government to stop removal proceedings against war resisters and
allow them to stay in Canada.
It is time Prime Minister Stephen Harper
and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to listen to Canadians and act onthe will
of the Canadian people as expressed through polls and through Parliament and implement
the motion.
US
Iraq War Resister Kimberly Rivera granted emergency stay of removal Kimberly
Rivera received word late on March 25th that the Federal Court granted her a stay
pending a decision on whether or not they will review a decision by Immigration
officials rejecting her Pre-Removal Risk Assessment.
The decision means
that Kimberly, her husband Mario and their three children will not be facing a
deportation on March 26th. It is a very important decision that recognizes that
US war resisters who speak publicly against the war in Iraq face differential
treatment by the US military.
It is urgent that Canadians send a very
strong message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Citizenship &
Immigration Jason Kenney to say that this family and other Iraq war resisters
must be allowed to stay. It is the will of Canadians and the will of our Parliament
that we welcome war resisters into our country. The Conservative government must
respect this view and implement the motion passed by Parliament in June 2008 calling
for an end to all removal proceedings against US war resisters and for them to
be allowed to apply for permanent resident status in Canada.
EMERGENCY
COMMUNITY MEETING: Wednesday
March 25, 7 pm United Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street (1 block south
of College, between Huron and Beverly)
Kimberly
Rivera, originally from Texas, is a former US soldier who sought asylum in Canada
after refusing to re-deploy to Iraq.
Kim, her husband and three children
– including a newborn Canadian daughter – face deportation from Canada
on March 26th.
This
is happening despite Parliament voting to stop the deportations, and to let these
conscientious objectors stay in Canada.
During
the last federal election campaign Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged
that the Iraq War was "absolutely an error". Yet he and his government
are sending soldiers back to face punishment – including court-martial, prison
time, and felony convictions – for having refused to participate in the war.
PLEASE
JOIN US for this community meeting to discuss what can be done to ensure that
Canada does not deport US Iraq war resisters. Canadians have spoken, the Canadian
Parliament has spoken. The time is now to stand up in support of Iraq war resisters
and to stop these deportations.
Open
Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper from the Faith Community March
19: The United Church of Canada, Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
and Mennonite Central Committee Canada issued an open letter to Prime Minister
Stephen Harper calling on him to allow war resister Kimberly Rivera and her family
to stay in Canada.
The letter states that "We are deeply disturbed
that the Government has refused to provide a process for permanent residency for
resisters and their families as requested by the June 2008 Parliamentary Resolution,"
the letter states. "We are further concerned that efforts to deport resisters
have escalated over the past few months. Likewise we are very troubled that the
Minister of Immigration [Jason Kenney], who is to remain impartial and arms-length
from the refugee determination process, has publicly called the U.S. war resisters
"bogus refugee claimants".
War resister Robin Long speaks from prison:
Let GI resisters stay in Canada In
2004 when Jeremy Hinzman applied for refugee status in Canada the federal government
stepped in at his Refugee Hearing and said that evidence challenging the legality
of the war in Iraq can’t be used in this case. The U.N. Handbook for Refugees
and the Nuremburg Principals say:
“a soldier of an army that is
involved in an illegal war of aggression has a higher international duty to refuse
service. They also have the right to seek refugee protection in any country that
is signatory to the Geneva Convention.”
Liberal
women's caucus calls on Conservative government to let U.S. war resisters stay
The Liberal Women’s Caucus is calling
on the Conservative government to show its support for U.S. war resisters who
are seeking to stay in Canada.
“These
are individuals who have left military service related to a war not sanctioned
by the United Nations and who have no criminal record,” said Chair of the
National Liberal Women’s Caucus Maria Minna. “As Canadians, we must
show them compassion instead of punishing them for their principles.”
Members
of Parliament visit war resister Robin Long On March 15th, NDP Immigration Critic Olivia
Chow and Liberal Member of Parliament Borys Wrzesnewskyj visited U.S. Iraq war
resister Robin Long in the brig of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego.
Robin
is serving a 15 month sentence for his refusal to participate in the war in Iraq.
He was deported from Canada by the government of Stephen Harper in July 2008,
despite a motion passed a month earlier by the House of Commons calling on the
government to cease all removal proceedings against U.S. war resisters.
Chow
and Wrzesnewskyj are on a fact-finding visit to learn more about Robin's situation.
There
will be a public meeting non March 16th in San Diego on the topic" Resisting
the War - Steppping up the Pressure". The meeting will take place at 7:00
p.m. at the Joyce Beers Community Centre, 1090 Vermont (for more info, visit activistsandiego.org)
More
details will be posted as they are available. See the full media release here.
LET
THEM STAY Participate in a week of action from March 15-22 to stop the
deportation of Kimberly Rivera and her family On March 26,
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney threaten to
deport US Iraq war resister Kimberly Rivera and her family, against the will of
Parliament. The week of March 16, Canadians will rally from coast to coast against
the deportation.
Canada
resisted the illegal Iraq war, a majority of Canadians support US Iraq war resisters,
and Parliament passed a motion to stop deporting them and to let them stay. But
Harper and Kenney have been defying democracy and deporting war resisters to punishment.
They have already deported three US Iraq war resisters, including Robin Long—who
was punished with 15 months jail separated from his infant son, followed by a
lifelong felony conviction. Now Harper and Kenney threaten to deport war resister
Kimberly Rivera and her family—husband Mario, 6 year old son Christian, 4
year old daughter Rebecca, and newborn Canadian daughter Katie--on March 26.
The
week of March 16, while George Bush visits Canada on the 6th anniversary of his
illegal war, Canadians from coast to coast will be calling on Harper and Kenney
to stop the deportation of Iraq war resister Kimberly Rivera and family. It is
urgent that the majority of Canadians who support US Iraq war resisters act now
URGENT:
Rivera family ordered to leave by March 26th Phone and write Minister Kenney
today! On March 10th, the family
of U.S. Iraq war resister Kimberly Rivera was ordered to leave Canada by March
26th or face deportation.
The
Riveras had requested that their deportation date be postponed until June when
the school year is complete, but the Immigration Department pressed to have them
deported to face punishment as quickly as possible.
Kimberly was the first woman U.S. soldier to seek refuge in Canada. She was deployed
to Iraq and, while home on a leave, decided she could no longer participate in
the war. She came to Canada with her husband and two young children in January
2007. In November 2008, they had a new daughter, Canadian-born Katie.
The Parliament of Canada passed a motion in June 2008 calling on the government
to stop all removal proceedings against U.S. Iraq war resisters, and to implement
a program to allow them to apply to stay in Canada as permanent residents. As
recently as February 12th of this year, the Standing Committee on Citizenship
and Immigration reaffirmed this motion.
This motion is supported by a
majority of Canadians, yet Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Citizenship and Immigration
Minister Jason Kenney have refused to implement it.
IT
IS URGENT THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HEAR FROM THOSE WHO SUPPORT IRAQ WAR RESISTERS.
Minister Kenney could resolve this situation tomorrow in accordance with the wishes
of Canadians, by implementing the motion that was passed in Parliament.
Call
or email Minister Kenney and Prime Minister Harper today and ask them to intervene
immediately to stop the deportation of the Rivera family, and to respect the democratic
will of Canadians and our Parliament by implementing the motion.
Minister
of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry
office) 613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office)
Please cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney: Liberal
party immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: BevilM@parl.gc.ca
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: chowo@parl.gc.ca
Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: StCyrT@parl.gc.ca
The Right Hon. Stephen
Harper Phone: (613) 992-4211 E-mail: mailto:pm@pm.gc.ca
Support the War Resisters Legal
Defense Fundraising Campaign The War Resisters Support Campaign
has been fighting for five years to keep U.S. Iraq war resisters safe in Canada.
The majority of Canadians support this, and Parliament has passed a motion calling
to for war resisters to be allowed to apply for permanent resident status in Canada.
The Conservative government has so far refused to respect the will of Parliament
and of Canadians and is continuing removal proceedings against war resisters.
Until a law is passed allowing them all to stay, we must fight each deportation
in court. Even at the most discounted fees from lawyers sympathetic to our cause,
we face thousands of dollars in mounting legal costs.
We
are asking for your help. This is an all-volunteer campaign (in fact, volunteers
often fund the campaign out of their own pockets). Please consider making a pledge
towards legal costs for war resisters like Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott and Jeremy
Hinzman.
War
Resister Film Event On
the 6th anniversary of the Iraq war: three documentaries about U.S. soldiers resisting
wars from Vietnam to Iraq, and seeking refuge in Canada.
* Paralells
(10 min) two generations of war resisters * Conscience of a Nation:
Winter Soldier (30 min) 30 veterans in 30 minutes, eyewitness accounts
of war * Deserter (24 min) The journey of a resister couple
fleeing the US to Canada
Followed by a discussion featuring war resisters.
Sunday March 15th, 2pm Innis College, University of Toronto
2 Sussex Ave. (at St. George, south of Bloor) Suggested donation $7 to 20
House Immigration Committee reaffirms support for U.S. war resisters
On February 12, 2009,
the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration again passed
a motion calling on the Government of Canada to immediately stop the deportation
of all U.S. Iraq War resisters and their immediate family members. The motion
was moved by NDP Immigration Critic Olivia Chow and supported by all opposition
party members in the Committee.
The motion reaffirms the recommendation
that was adopted by Parliament on June 3, 2008: that the government establish
a program to facilitate permanent resident status for the war resisters and their
families, and that it immediately stop deportation proceedings against war resisters.
Please take a moment to call or email Prime Minister Stephen Harper
and Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and demand that they respect
this vote and implement the motion.
The Right Hon. Stephen Harper
Phone: (613) 992-4211 E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
Minister
of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry
office) 613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office) Or email him at: minister@cic.gc.ca
or Kenney.j@parl.gc.ca
Please
cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney: Liberal party
immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: bevilacqua.m@parl.gc.ca
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: chow.o@parl.gc.ca
Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: st-cyr.t@parl.gc.ca
Harper
government sends another war resister back to jail U.S.
Iraq war resister Cliff Cornell was arrested on Feb. 4 crossing the border into
the United States. Acting against the clear will of Parliament and Canadians,
Citizenship & Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Prime Minister Stephen
Harper refused to intervene in Cliff's case to allow him to stay in Canada.
Cliff was prepared to comply fully with U.S. laws and turn himself in to
his former unit at Fort Stewart, but he was arrested by U.S. border police and
is being held at Whatcom County Jail in Bellingham, Washington. He now faces possible
court martial and jail time because he refused to participate in the illegal and
immoral war in Iraq.
Robin Long, who was deported from Canada in July
2008, is now serving a 15-month prison term. Canadians are outraged that the Harper
government continues to ignore the June 2008 Parliamentary motion calling for
a halt in deportation proceedings against all U.S. Iraq war resisters, and for
resisters and their families to be allowed to stay as permanent residents.
War resisters Dean Walcott and Kimberly
Rivera granted Stays of Removal The Federal Court
has granted stays of removal in the cases of Kimberly Rivera (and her family)
and Dean Walcott. More details will follow as they become available. In the mean
time, these are very important victories for Dean, Kim, and all of the U.S. Iraq
war resisters in Canada. The court rulings are in keeping with the desire of Canadians
to allow war resisters to stay in Canada.
But we urgently need to
stop the imminent deportation of CLIFF CORNELL.
Cliff was ordered to
leave Canada January 22nd, but has won a brief reprieve. We urgently need to keep
pressure of the Conservative Government to do the right thing and implement the
Parliamentary motion from June 2008 by stopping all deportation proceedings
against war resisters and granting them permanent resident status in Canada.
Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen
Harper: Let U.S. Iraq War Resisters stay
On
June 3, 2008, the House of Commons passed a motion calling for the government
to:
“...immediately
implement a program to allow conscientious objectors and their immediate family
members (partners and dependents), who have refused or left military service related
to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations and do not have a criminal record,
to apply for permanent resident status and remain in Canada.”
That motion
further recommended that the government should:
“...immediately
cease any removal or deportation actions that may have already commenced against
such individuals.”
Iraq Veteran Kimberly Rivera's appeal to Prime Minister Stephen Harper
War resister Dean Walcott faces imminent deportation An
Iraq war resister living in Toronto is threatened with deportation the week of
January 26th. Dean Walcott is a former U.S. Marine who deployed
twice to Iraq. In between those deployments, he was stationed at a U.S. Army hospital
in Stuttgart, Germany. He arrived in Canada in December 2006.
Keep
up the pressure: every letter to Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Jason Kenney or to PM Stephen Harper counts. And while you won't get a response
to any calls you may make, they are keeping a tally.
When
you write or call, let Harper and Kenney know that:
•
they should immediately stop all deportations of US Iraq war resisters, including
Cliff Cornell, Dean Walcott and Kimberly Rivera. • you want them to
implement the motion that was passed by Parliament on June 3rd, calling on the
government to allow war resisters to apply for permanent resident status.
The
Right Hon. Stephen Harper Phone: (613) 992-4211 E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney
Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry office) 613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office)
Or email him at: minister@cic.gc.ca
or Kenney.j@parl.gc.ca
Please
cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney: Liberal party immigration
critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: bevilacqua.m@parl.gc.ca NDP immigration
critic Olivia Chow: chow.o@parl.gc.ca
Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: st-cyr.t@parl.gc.ca
Cliff Cornell denied stay of removal On
January 21st the Federal Court denied US Iraq War resister Cliff Cornell a stay
of removal. Cliff was told he must leave Canada by January 22nd or face deportation.
His lawyer was able to obtain a brief deferral, but activists across the country
are still going all out to stop this deportation. And support in his own community
has
been very high.
Harper
orders US war resister Chris Teske deported on inauguration day
The evening of January 19
the Federal Court denied US Iraq War resister Chris Teske a stay of removal. He
was to leave Canada on Friday January 23. Chris Teske is the second U.S. war resister
to be deported by the Canadian government, despite the clear support of Canadians
to allow him and other conscientious objectors to stay.
Please see details
of "Let Them Stay Week" for ideas of how you can help. War
Resister Kimberly Rivera & Family ordered to leave Canada Kimberly Rivera, along with her husband and three young
children, have been told that they must leave Canada by January 27 or face removal
to the United States.
Kimberly served in Iraq in 2006. In 2007 she refused
redeployment and became the first female U.S. Iraq war resister to come to Canada.
She lives now in Toronto with her husband Mario, son Christian (6 years), daughter
Rebecca (4 years), and newborn Canadian daughter Katie (6 weeks). Her experience
in Iraq was a huge awakening and convinced Kimberley that the war was immoral
and that she could not participate in it.
Despite
a June 2008 Parliamentary motion supporting war resisters, the Harper government
continues its policy of deporting them. In July 2008, war resister Robin Long
was deported from British Columbia and punished with 15 months in jail, separating
him from his wife and infant son, and a felony conviction that will cause him
lifelong hardship.
War resister Dean Walcott ordered to leave Canada U.S. Iraq war resister Dean Walcott was told on December 3rd that
he must leave Canada by January 6th or face deportation to the United States.
The decision follows similar ones in the cases of war resisters Corey Glass, Jeremy
Hinzman and family and Matt Lowell.
If deported, Dean will face a court
martial, jail time and a felony conviction, all because of his refusal to participate
in the immoral and illegal war in Iraq. This decision goes against the expressed
wishes of the Canadian Parliament which passed a motion on June 3rd calling on
the government to allow war resisters to stay in Canada, and it goes against the
will of Canadians who have consistently demonstrated in polls that they want war
resisters to stay.
The Federal Court stayed the removal orders of Corey
Glass, Jeremy Hinzman and Matt Lowell.
Corey Glass has since been granted
a new application to stay on Humanitarian & Compassionate grounds. Jeremy
Hinzman's appeal date for his negative decision has been set for February 10th
2009, and Matt Lowell is waiting to hear whether his appeal will be heard.
It is time for Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Jason Kenney to
put an end to this case-by-case approach to the situation of war resisters in
Canada. He must implement a political solution in line with what Canadians and
Parliament are calling for and allow Dean, and all of the other courageous young
men and women who have said no to participating in the war which even Stephen
Harper has admitted was "absolutely a mistake", to stay in Canada.
War resister Matt
Lowell granted stay of removal Iraq war resister Matt Lowell
was granted a stay of deportation on October 27th. Matt had been ordered to leave
Canada by October 28th or face deporation to the United States where he would
face a court martial for his refusal to participate in the Iraq war.
Matt's decision follows similar Federal Court decisions to grant stays to war
resisters Corey Glass and Jeremy Hinzman.
Jeremy Hinzman wins stay of removal In
a significant legal victory, a Federal Court judge granted a stay of deportation
to US Iraq War resister Jeremy Hinzman and his family on September 22. The family
was scheduled to be deported on September 23.
The ruling allows Jeremy,
Nga and their two children to remain in Canada until the Federal Court decides
whether it will hear an appeal of a rejection of the family's Pre-Removal Risk
Assessment, and their request to stay on a Humanitarian and Compassionate basis.
In his ruling, Justice Mosley said that "[b]ased on the evidence and submissions
before me, I am satisfied that the applicants would suffer irreparable harm if
a stay were not granted pending determination of their leave application."
A similar stay was granted to Corey Glass in July. And in the case of Joshua
Key, the Federal Court has ruled that the Immigration & Refugee Board must
rehear his refugee claim because of errors in their initial denial of his claim.
Now it's time for
a political solution
With the three positive Federal Court rulings in the cases of US Iraq war resisters,
the need for a political solution is more apparent than ever.
Several
war resisters expect to receive decisions in their cases in the following weeks.
Canadians have spoken clearly through polls and through Parliament that
the majority want US war resisters to be allowed to stay in Canada. Conservative
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Citizenship & Immigration Minister Diane
Finley need to respect Parliament and implement the motion passed in the House
of Commons on June 3 calling for an end to deportation proceedings against war
resisters, and for war resisters to be allowed to apply for permanent resident
status in Canada.
When Stephen Harper was leader of the official opposition,
he stated that "The Prime Minister has the moral responsibility to respect
the will of the House." Now is the time for Mr. Harper to stand by that view,
to respect the will of Parliament and of Canadians, and let the war resisters
stay.
War resister supporter
catches up with Stephen Harper
Bob Rae speaks out
against deportation of Jeremy Hinzman and U.S. Iraq War Resisters
ROBIN LONG SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS
– SHAME ON THE HARPER GOVERNMENT
We have just learned that Robin Long was sentenced today, August
22, to 15 months in prison at a military penitentiary. He also received a dishonourable
discharge which will follow him the rest of his life. It is a felony conviction.
Robin was deported from Canada when federal Justice Anne McTavish ruled that he
had not proven that he faced irreparable harm if returned to the U.S. Sadly, today
his sentence proves how flawed that decision was. It shows all too clearly what
U.S. Iraq war resisters face if they are forcibly returned to the U.S. by our
government. Shame on Stephen Harper for allowing this courageous and peaceful
young man to be jailed. Stop the deportations. Let the War Resisters stay. Implement
the motion passed on June 3rd in the House of Commons.
Robin is serving
his sentence at Miramar Naval Consolidated Brig near San Diego. You can send letters
of support and encouragement to him at: ROBIN LONG PO BOX 452136 SAN
DIEGO, CA 92145-2136
Canadian supporter questions Minister Finley on deportation
of U.S. Iraq War Resisters
ACT NOW! Tell Stephen Harper: don't deport Hinzman family! U.S.
Iraq War resister Jeremy Hinzman and his wife and two children have been ordered
to leave Canada by September 23rd.
In spite of Hinzman’s four and a half
years living, working and raising a family in Canada, the Harper government plans
to deport him to the United States where he will likely face a court martial and
a potential military jail sentence and felony conviction. This flies in the face
of democracy and the will of Canadians: Parliament passed a motion in support
of war resisters June 3rd, 82% of Canadians oppose the Iraq war (Strategic Counsel
poll), and 64% of Canadians support war resisters (Angus Reid poll).
WHAT
YOU CAN DO NOW: IN TORONTO: Attend the Emergency
Meeting to Stop the Deportation of Jeremy Hinzman and his family, Wednesday
August 20th at 7 p.m. at the Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street – Read the
War Resisters Support Campaign press release and circulate it widely http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2008/13/c3830.html%20 –
Tell Immigration Minister Diane Finley to use her power to stop deportation of
war resisters and allow them to stay in Canada. Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper
to Let the War Resisters Stay!
Make
these points when you contact them – - respect Parliament and implement the
June 3rd motion in support of war resisters staying in Canada - 82% of Canadians
oppose the Iraq war - 64% of Canadians in an Angus Reid national poll want
war resisters to stay in Canada - Jeremy Hinzman and his family have lived
and worked here for over 4 years and made a real contribution; they should not
be deported because they oppose the Iraq war.
Canada's Shame: Harper government deports US War Resister Robin
Long
Against the wishes
of Canadians and Canada's Parliament, the federal government deported U.S. Iraq
war resister Robin Long to the United States, where he faces a court martial for
refusing to participate in the Iraq War.
Robin is allowed to receive hand or type-written letters.
They must not include anything like drawings made with markers, lipstick, crayons,
stickers etc. or print articles. There can be no enclosures, with the exception
of standard size photographs (ie. up to 4x6 inches). These must be printed at
a photo developing place (i.e. not photocopies, or from a home printer, or Polaroids),
and there must be LESS than ten photos, otherwise they will get put in lockup
with his personal belongings and he won't see them.
The War Resisters Support Campaign is calling
on supporters across Canada to urgently continue to put pressure on the minority
conservative government to immediately cease deportation proceedings against other
US war resisters and to respect the will of Canadians and their elected representatives
by implementing the motion adopted by Parliament on June 3rd. Please see the take action page for what
you can do.
CANADA HAS VOTED – WE WANT RESISTERS TO STAY!
On June 3rd, 2008 all opposition MPs united to vote in favour of
a motion to allow U.S. Iraq war resisters to remain in Canada. This has been referred
to as a "non-binding" motion in the media. However, as the video below shows,
it is the clearly expressed will of a majority of Canada's elected representatives,
and through them the will of a majority of Canadians. As this vote and the recent
Angus Reid poll demonstrate, it is not Canadians who do not support Iraq war resisters,
but the minority Conservative government.
It is time for the Prime Minister
and the Minister of Citizenship & Immigration to explain to Canadians why
they are refusing to act on this democratic vote!
Actions across Canada and the U.S. call on the Canadian government
to "Let them stay!" People across
Canada joined rallies and other actions on July 10th in support of U.S. war resisters.
In Vancouver, Nelson, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Orillia, and other cities took
to the streets to press the federal government to stop the deportation of Robin
Long and to let all war resisters stay. As well, in cities across the United States,
people gathered at Canadian consulates on July 9th in support of U.S. war resisters
in Canada.
See video of the Toronto actions:
"Thank You Canada"
from U.S. Veterans for Peace TORONTO/CNW – The major
U.S. organization representing 7,000 U.S. veterans has issued a public “Thank
You” to the people of Canada and an appeal to the government on behalf of Corey
Glass and other U.S. Iraq War conscientious objectors seeking refuge.
Veterans
for Peace (VFP) whose members fought in WW II, the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars
says: “Thank you, Canada, for providing a safe haven for young American men and
women who, although they were in the military, decided they could not in good
conscience participate in the illegal and immoral U.S. war and occupation of Iraq.”Read the full press
release
Appeal from Canada's faith communities
to the government of Canada Dear Prime Minister
Harper and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley:
Re:
Iraq War resister Corey Glass: July 10 deportation looming
We are writing
to request your quick action to stop the deportation and removal proceedings against
U.S. Iraq War conscientious objector Corey Glass who came to Canada seeking refuge.
The
federal government’s July 10 deportation order against Glass is still in effect,
creating enormous stress, anxiety and turmoil for him and for all the conscientious
objectors and their families who are hoping the government will be guided by the
will of Parliament. This was expressed June 3rd with the passage of a landmark
parliamentary motion that called on the Government of Canada to allow U.S. conscientious
objectors who have left military service related to the illegal invasion of Iraq,
and their immediate family members, the opportunity to apply to remain in Canada
as permanent residents, and to immediately cease any removal or deportation actions
that may have already commenced against such individuals. Read the full letter
Federal Court rules that Immigration & Refugee Board must
rehear case of war resister Joshua Key In an extremely important decision released on Friday,
July 4th, the Federal Court has ruled that the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)
made mistakes in turning down war resister Joshua Key's asylum claim and must
relook at his case. The Federal Court decision disagreed with the IRB's view that
Key had to have been forced to systematically commit war crimes in order to have
a legitimate refugee claim.
Federal Court Justice Robert Barnes argued
that "Officially condoned military misconduct falling well short of a war crime
may support a claim to refugee protection."
In light of this new ruling,
it is more critical than ever that the Minister of Immigration, Diane Finley,
immediately cease any removal proceedings already underway against U.S. Iraq war
resisters. Canadian people and the Canadian Parliament have come down solidly
on the side of the war resisters and want them to be allowed to obtain permanent
resident status in Canada. This decision reinforces the need for the Minister
to act quickly and implement a provision to allow US war resisters to stay in
Canada.
See the summary
and full
Federal Court decisions and the War Resisters Support Campaign's media release.
64% of Canadians say "LET THEM STAY" According to a
new Angus Reid national poll, two thirds of Canadians want Canada to grant
permanent residence status to U.S. Iraq war resisters. The poll was conducted
June 6-7, 2008, after Parliament passed a motion calling on the government to
make a provision to allow war resisters to stay in Canada and to cease all deportation
and removal proceedings that are already underway. See the full
results of the poll.
Amnesty International Supports Iraq war resister Corey Glass
Amnesty International believes James Corey
Glass to have a genuine conscientious objection to serving as a combatant in the
US forces in Iraq, and would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience if imprisoned
on his return to the USA. He is facing deportation from Canada on 12 June. Read
the full statement here.
Canadian
Parliament votes to let US war resisters stay The Canadian Parliament
passed an historic motion today, June 3, 2008, that calls on the Canadian government
to make a program to allow US war resisters to apply for permanent resident status
in Canada and to cease all deportation and removal proceedings against US war
resisters.
American Iraq War
resisters celebrate House of Commons vote to let them stay in Canada, June 3,
2008.
The next step is to write to the Minister of Citizenship
and Immigration, Diane Finley, and prime minister Stephen Harper to ensure that
they that the will of Parliament is implemented.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley phone
613.996.4974 fax 613.996.9749 email finley.d@parl.gc.ca and finled1@parl.gc.ca
Prime
Minister Stephen Harper phone 613.992.4211 fax 613.941.6900 email
pm@pm.gc.ca
If your riding is represented by a Conservative Member
of Parliament, please contact them as well to express your support for war resisters.
To find contact information, click here.
War Resister Corey Glass Faces Deportation U.S. Iraq war resister Corey Glass was told on May 21, 2008,
that his application to stay in Canada has been rejected and he now faces deportation.
Glass would be the first Iraq war resister to be deported from Canada. Last December
the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Citizenship & Immigration passed
a motion calling on the Canadian government to "immediately implement a program
to allow conscientious objectors and their immediate family members […] to apply
for permanent resident status and remain in Canada; and … the government should
immediately cease any removal or deportation actions … against such individuals".
Support for U.S. War Resisters grows in
Conservative ridings
Iraq Veteran
Sgt. Corey Glass Media Conference - May 21/08
U.S. War Resisters speak out
War resisters spoke in conversation
with Andy Barrie, CBC radio host and Vietnam war resister, at a public forum at
the University of Toronto on May 21.
SOLIDARITY ACTIONS ACROSS
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
Author Lawrence Hill drops his letters in the mailbox during
Toronto's rally January 26.
In
cities across Canada and the United States, actions were held January 25 and January
26 to support the call for Canada to allow US war resisters to stay. In Toronto,
350 people gathered to hear from US war resisters as well as Liberal Foreign Affairs
critic Bob Rae, NDP MP Olivia Chow, Lawrence Hill, Bill King and many others.
In the US, delegations
visited Canadian consulates in New York, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis,
Seattle, San Francisco and Philadelphia. See Courage to Resist
for more details
Thanks to the many people who participated in the
Day of Action, it was a great success and marked a broadening of the campaign
to gain asylum for US war resisters.
Statement of Churches in Support
of US War Resisters
On
January 26th, a combined statement in support of US War Resisters was issued by
the United Church of Canada, the Canadian Friends Service Committee and the Mennonite
Central Committee. You can read that statement here.
Standing Committee motion marks big step forward
for asylum for U.S. War Resisters
On
Thursday December 6, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration adopted
a motion that is a step forward for U.S. War Resisters seeking asylum in Canada.
In a vote of 7 to 4, committee members passed a motion recommending that the government
immediately implement a program to allow war resisters and their families to stay
in Canada. It also calls for an immediate halt to deportation proceedings in these
cases.
The
motion reads as follows:
The
Committee recommends that the government immediately implement a program to allow
conscientious objectors and their immediate family members (partners and dependents),
who have refused or left military service related to a war not sanctioned by the
United Nations and do not have a criminal record, to apply for permanent resident
status and remain in Canada; and that the government should immediately cease
any removal or deportation actions that may have already commenced against such
individuals.
This motion is
a very important step forward after the Supreme Court ruled on November 15 that
it would not hear the appeals of U.S. war resisters in their refugee claims. It
shows a willingness of the opposition parties in Canada's Parliament to come together
to ensure that none of these resisters is returned to the U.S. where they face
court martials, incarceration and possible deployment to Iraq.
Supporters
of U.S. war resisters should take a moment to celebrate this important decision,
which is the product of the combined efforts of so many thousands of people across
the country and internationally. The Campaign thanks everyone who contributed
by writing letters, sending emails and phoning their Members of Parliament.
Top
10 Reasons to Let the War Resisters Stay
Reason #10 Alex
Neve Amnesty International
Reason #9 Maude
Barlow, Chair, Council of Canadians Reason #8 Bill
King, Musician and Vietnam Era Resister
Reason #7 Olivia
Chow, MP
Reason #6 Naomi Klein,
Journalist and Author Reason #5 Rex Weyler,
Ecologist, Author and Vietnam War Resister
War Resisters
in Canada
Kim, her husband and three children
– including a newborn Canadian daughter – face deportation from Canada
on March 26th.
On March 15th, NDP Immigration Critic Olivia
Chow and Liberal Member of Parliament Borys Wrzesnewskyj visited U.S. Iraq war
resister Robin Long in the brig of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego.
U.S. Iraq war resister Corey Glass was told on May 21, 2008,
that his application to stay in Canada has been rejected and he now faces deportation.
Glass would be the first Iraq war resister to be deported from Canada. Last December
the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Citizenship & Immigration passed
a motion calling on the Canadian government to "immediately implement a program
to allow conscientious objectors and their immediate family members […] to apply
for permanent resident status and remain in Canada; and … the government should
immediately cease any removal or deportation actions … against such individuals".
