DATE: August 13, 2010
TO: The Honourable Jason Kenney
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Jean Edmonds Building
South Tower, 21st Floor
365 Laurier Street West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
RE: Your recent war deserter directive
Dear Minister Kenney:
I would like to express my concern over the recent directive issued by your department that instructs its field officers to treat war deserters as criminals.
It is clear that your Conservative government is sending a clear message to the bureaucracy to reject claims from military deserters.
I would like to remind you that the Federal Court of Appeal on July 6th, 2010 unanimously decided that immigration officers cannot ignore a soldier’s beliefs and motivations when deciding on applications for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
In addition to rejecting the Federal Court of Appeal, your directive completely ignores motions adopted by the House of Commons on June 3, 2008 and March 30, 2009 calling on the Conservative government to cease deportation proceedings against U.S. Iraq war resisters and to create a program to allow them to apply for Permanent Resident Status within Canada.
Minister, there is a private member’s bill in Parliament (Bill C-440) which will allow a democratic debate and vote on the issue of U.S. war resisters. The fate of over fifty young men and women currently in Canada seeking refugee status is in our hands.
We must ensure that the legislative process is allowed to take place before making any decisions that impact those fleeing the illegal war in Iraq.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Alex Atamanenko, MP
BC Southern Interior