Minister Kenney Must Stop Looming Christmas Deportation: War Resisters Ask to Meet with Immigration Minister
by WAR RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN
Toronto - Supporters of war resisters in Canada have asked for an urgent meeting with Jason Kenney, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. They plan to request, in person, the Minister's immediate intervention to stop the looming deportation of U.S. Iraq war resister Cliff Cornell. Cornell, who now lives on Gabriola Island in British Columbia, has been ordered to leave Canada by Christmas Eve or sooner.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is also hoping to raise the matter of the imminent deportation order expected by war resister Kim Rivera and her family, including her husband Mario, children Christian (6), Rebecca (4), and their newborn daughter and Canadian citizen, Katie Marie, who was born on November 23, 2008.

 

"We understand that Cliff and Kim will be asking their lawyers to try to get new hearings for their cases. In the meantime their, and other similar cases, warrant immediate action by Minister Kenney to prevent any deportations before the Federal Court has a chance to rule on the appeal of War Resister Jeremy Hinzman and his family, which is scheduled to be heard on February 10," said Lee Zaslofsky, Coordinator of the War Resisters Support Campaign.

 

 

 

Cliff Cornell currently works as an assistant manager of a retail store and previously served in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He fled the United States to avoid being sent to Iraq and arrived in Canada via Toronto in January 2005. Cornell has been told to leave the country no later than Christmas Eve or face deportation, though a written notice from the federal immigration department indicates that the date of his removal may be even earlier.

Kim Rivera and her family are due to appear at the Mississauga immigration office (6900 Airport Road) at 9:00 a.m. on January 7, 2009. They fear that they, too, will be given a deportation date at that time.

"Parliament voted in June, recommending that the government should allow conscientious objectors to wars not sanctioned by the United Nations—including Iraq war resisters—to apply for permanent resident status in Canada and immediately stop deportation proceedings against them," said Zaslofsky. "More than six months has passed since the vote and the majority of Canadians are still waiting for Prime Minister Harper to implement the will of our elected representatives."