The motion, which originated in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in December 2007, calls on the 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."

 

Corey Glass, 25, a war resister who came to Canada in 2006 and was recently told to leave Canada by June 12 or face removal to the United States, welcomed the vote.

 

• "I'm thankful that the MPs voted to let me and the other war resisters stay in Canada. I'm also thankful to all the Canadians who urged their MPs to support us."

 

"This is a great victory for the courageous men and women who have come to Canada because they refuse to take part in the illegal, immoral Iraq War, and for the many organizations and individuals who have supported this campaign over the past four years," said Lee Zaslofsky, Coordinator of the War Resisters Support Campaign and a Vietnam War deserter who came to Canada in 1970.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is calling on the Conservative government to respect the democratic decision of the Canadian Parliament and immediately implement the motion and cease deportation proceedings against Corey Glass and other war resisters.



For further information: Michelle Robidoux, (416) 856-5008; Lee
Zaslofsky, (416) 598-1222 or (415) 369-0864



CBC News Online

(Canadian State Media) 

The House of Commons has passed a motion to grant permanent residence status to American military deserters and their families, but it's not expected to help a U.S. soldier recently ordered to leave Canada.

While all three opposition parties supported the non-binding NDP motion Tuesday, the government voted it down and is certain to ignore it.

There are an estimated 200 Iraq War resisters in Canada, including Corey Glass, 25, who learned last month that his application to remain in the country has been rejected. He is supposed to voluntarily return to the United States by June 12 or be deported.

Glass had been in Iraq for five months as a sergeant in military intelligence when he fled to Toronto in 2006 and applied for refugee status while on leave in Fairmount, Ind.

He said he filed on the grounds of objection to military service, convinced the war was "illegal and immoral."

The former National Guard member said he tried to leave the army, but was told that desertion was punishable by death.

Lee Zaslofsky, co-ordinator of the War Resisters Support Campaign and a Vietnam War resister, said Glass would face imprisonment if he returns to the U.S.

He claimed Glass would be the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canada.