Scroll down for news release on Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration decision!
WAR
RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN - Vancouver
Tuesday May 10, 2008
949 W. 49 Ave Vancouver (corner of Oak St & 49 Ave)
WAR RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN
www.resisters.ca 416 598 1222
IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO LET WAR RESISTERS STAY IN CANADA
NEXT ORGANIZING MEETING
WAR
RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN - Vancouver
Tuesday May 10, 2008
7 pm
Hewett Centre - Unitarian Church of Vancouver949 W. 49 Ave Vancouver (corner of Oak St & 49 Ave)
Updates on the Campaign and how you can be involved. (meetings 2nd Tuesday of every month)
WAR RESISTERS SUPPORT CAMPAIGN
www.resisters.ca 416 598 1222
Dec. 7, 2007
IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO LET WAR RESISTERS STAY IN CANADA
The War Resisters Support Campaign is celebrating a victory for the war resisters!
At yesterday's meeting of the Citizenship and Immigration Committee of the House of Commons, a motion was passed that calls on the Canadian Government to let US war resisters stay in Canada. The motion was introduced by Jim Karygiannis (Lib -- Scarborough -Agincourt), and passed by a vote of 7 -- 4. The Liberal, Bloc, and NDP members of the committee joined together to override the opposition of the Conservative committee members.
The motion reads as follows:
The Campaign is deeply grateful to Mr. Karygiannis and the others Committee members who voted for the motion. We are especially grateful to Olivia Chow (NDP -- Trinity-Spadina) for her hard work on preparing the ground for this important victory, and for her strong support generally.
The motion is a clear and unequivocal statement of support for the war resisters, and even goes further than supporting US Iraq War resisters, to include conscientious objectors from "all wars not sanctioned by the United Nations". If implemented, this motion would truly make Canada a "refuge from militarism".
The next step is to bring the motion to the full House of Commons. Given that the three Opposition parties all voted for the motion in Committee, it's a good bet they would do so in the House, and it would pass there too. This would put severe pressure on the Government to move ahead on this, and would send a powerful message that the elected representatives of the Canadian people welcome the war resisters to Canada.
We will need to redouble our efforts now to make sure that the Government stops its efforts to deport war resisters, and to make sure that the House and the Government take action on the motion passed by the Immigration Committee.
We thank all the hundreds of Canadians and Americans who wrote letters, phoned, and lobbied Members of Parliament to support the war resisters. These efforts were essential in bringing about yesterday's success. This outpouring of support has given great encouragement to the war resisters and their families, and has helped to make them feel welcome in Canada.
At yesterday's meeting of the Citizenship and Immigration Committee of the House of Commons, a motion was passed that calls on the Canadian Government to let US war resisters stay in Canada. The motion was introduced by Jim Karygiannis (Lib -- Scarborough -Agincourt), and passed by a vote of 7 -- 4. The Liberal, Bloc, and NDP members of the committee joined together to override the opposition of the Conservative committee members.
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.
The Campaign is deeply grateful to Mr. Karygiannis and the others Committee members who voted for the motion. We are especially grateful to Olivia Chow (NDP -- Trinity-Spadina) for her hard work on preparing the ground for this important victory, and for her strong support generally.
The motion is a clear and unequivocal statement of support for the war resisters, and even goes further than supporting US Iraq War resisters, to include conscientious objectors from "all wars not sanctioned by the United Nations". If implemented, this motion would truly make Canada a "refuge from militarism".
The next step is to bring the motion to the full House of Commons. Given that the three Opposition parties all voted for the motion in Committee, it's a good bet they would do so in the House, and it would pass there too. This would put severe pressure on the Government to move ahead on this, and would send a powerful message that the elected representatives of the Canadian people welcome the war resisters to Canada.
We will need to redouble our efforts now to make sure that the Government stops its efforts to deport war resisters, and to make sure that the House and the Government take action on the motion passed by the Immigration Committee.
We thank all the hundreds of Canadians and Americans who wrote letters, phoned, and lobbied Members of Parliament to support the war resisters. These efforts were essential in bringing about yesterday's success. This outpouring of support has given great encouragement to the war resisters and their families, and has helped to make them feel welcome in Canada.