Twitter
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Delicious
Digg
Newsvine
Google
Yahoo
TechnoratiWar Resisters May Yet Find Sanctuary in Canada
Prime Minister Stephen Harper may be set on embracing George Bush and his occupation of Iraq, but on Tuesday, June 3, the Canadian members of Parliament extended their embrace to the war resisters. By a vote of 137-110, the House of Commons called 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." The motion also called on the government to "immediately cease any removal or deportation actions against such individuals."
All the opposition parties -- Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party, and the Bloc Quebecois -- came together to reject the policy of the ruling Conservative Party. The motion, however, is non-binding and the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper may choose to ignore it.
Back in the days of the Vietnam War, Canada took in over 50,000 draft dodgers and deserters. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau declared that "Canada should be a refuge from militarism" (prompting John Lennon to say that "if all politicians were like Pierre Trudeau there would be world peace").
Former Liberal Party Prime Minister Jean Chretien in 2003 refused to send Canadian troops to join the war in Iraq because the invasion wasn't backed by the UN, breaking with Canada's closest allies -- the U.S. and U.K.
But Stephen Harper is a different kettle of fish. Coming to power in 2006, his Conservative government has supported U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, including the war in Iraq, and has refused to advocate asylum for U.S. war resisters.
There are an estimated 200 Iraq War resisters in Canada today. Canadian immigration officials and the courts have denied them refugee status, and several currently face deportation, including 25-year-old Corey Glass.
Glass joined the National Guard in 2002 after assurances he would not see combat. But he was later deployed to Iraq, where he served as a military intelligence officer. He has said that witnessing the killing of civilians by U.S. troops turned him against the war.
"What I saw in Iraq convinced me that the war is illegal and immoral. I could not in good conscience continue to take part in it," Glass said. Glass is still on active duty and considered absent without leave. But on May 21, Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board denied him refugee status, ruling that he did not face a "well-founded fear of persecution" such as torture or death if he returned to the United States. He is supposed to voluntarily return to the United States by June 12 or be deported. Glass would be the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canada.
But Tuesday's Parliamentary vote gave Glass and the other resisters hope. Cheering from the balcony of Parliament when the resolution was passed, Glass thanked the Parliamentarians and the many thousands of Canadians who support the resisters. "We hope the will of the Canadian people as expressed by Parliament will be carried out," he said.
The Toronto-based War Resisters Support Campaign is also celebrating Tuesday's vote. "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 Support Campaign is now calling for stepped up pressure on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Diane Finley to follow the will of the Canadian people and implement this motion. The U.S. group Courage to Resist is collecting letters of support from people all over the United States, and there will be new vigils and delegations to Canadian Embassies and Consulates around the U.S.
The hope is that the momentum from Tuesday's vote will propel the Conservative government to reflect on its position and realize that it is more important to please the Canadian people, who are overwhelming against the Iraq war, than to please a lame-duck U.S. president.
Medea Benjamin (medea@globalexchange.org), along with Colonel Ann Wright, went to Canada on June 1 to speak at a gathering honoring war resisters. Both had been denied entry into Canada on a previous visit due to misdemeanor convictions from antiwar demonstrations. This time, thanks to media attention, grassroots support and an insistent Member of Parliament, Libby Davies, we were granted a one-day special entry permit to attend the conference. We took it as another sign that a more positive policy may well be in the offing.
17 Comments so far
Show AllTo "SDnative" and your post of June 4th, 2008 @ 9:50 pm: who wrote "The so-called "liberals" in Canada are just like the wimpy Democrats here in America". Sorry, but I am one of those liberals, and there is nothing "so called" about us. We are real, and we continue to build Canada in the spirit of its best traditions. As previous posters have noted, our kind has (for the most part) voted in progressive governments for decades, usually under the "Liberal Party of Canada" banner, and those governments have done a good job of clearly distinguishing our country from our American cousins. The liberals of Canada have framed the country's position on guns, abortion, universal health care, international peace-keeping, multiculturalism, gender-equality, the use of pot, the death penalty, the Constitution (including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms), and most recently, balanced budgets. As a result, there are many, many ways that Canadian values differ from American ones, and that is a good thing for everybody. The Tories won a minority government (due in large part to a political scandal during the last election) and promptly hit a wall; the liberals will be back in power soon enough, and Canada will resume its steady path forward. Hang in their, war resisters, you are not alone.
If you find any nice peace up there in Canada, bring it on home to me!!
And say hi to Ann.
p, j.
Illegal wars of aggression will end when those who initiate such wars have no where to run, and no where to hide. Resistance is futile. Prosecution is the way to go. When will America have the moral courage to prosecute their own war criminals, NOT years (if ever) after they commit war crimes, but the day they first propose committing them. This failure to prosecute war crimes before wars start makes Americans collectively accomplices to those wars.
It is not presidents that need changing.. it is attitudes that need changing. My sense is that presidents are little more than scape goats. How many Americans in 2003 opposed the war in Iraq. And how many of those self same Americans, now would blame the president for his stupidity, when it was they who earlier criminally supported those same policies. There is something a little obscene in thinking that with each new president America can walk away from its earlier mistakes, when those earlier mistakes have forever blighted the lives of millions. Those millions don't get to walk away from the history.. why should Americans.
Ian
My thanks to the war resisters of all wars. Wars will end when men and women refuse to fight them. This is the only morally courageous action in the face of war. The rest is moral masturbation.
And in those 70 years Canada has not done bad at all.
SDnative;
The Liberal's have been the government in Canada for most of the last century. The tories ruled from 1911-1917, 1926 (minority fell in a few months), 1930-35, 57-63, 79-80 (another minority gov't), 84-93 (ended with the greatest defeat in federal parliamentary history I do believe.) and from 2006 til now as a minority. Over the last century the Tory's have ruled Canada for less than 30 years. The Liberals are oft refered to as Canada's natural party.... I don't think you can say that about the Dems in the usa.
I thank Canadians of good will for standing with our Soldiers of Conscience. But can Canada do me one more favor? Can they get that criminal thug Harper the hell out of Ottawa? That man is a Bush wannabe. I will be eternally greatful if you do. Merci.
NOT OVER YET
People key words it is not a binding vote so Harper can just ignore it. His people will be polling the crap out of people to see where the average Canadian stands on the issue. If the numbers come back it won't hurt him much AND THE NEO CON MEDIA in Canada , Global, Can West, CTV, CITY, Toronto SUN, Globe & Mail, National Post, etc support Harper then he will make the call against the vote.
AS FOR CONSERVATIVE AND CANADIANS
The Harper cons put together a super slick US style ad campaign with a few scandals and investigations on top liberals. All of which strangly disappeared right after the election.
Dear billrowe -
"Courage to Resist" based in Oakland California has done good work supporting troops who refuse to go back or who go to Canada. Two months ago they held a good action in front of the Canadian consulate and set a delegation who had an amiable chat with the Consulate. The point: "Dear Canada: Please do not deport the soldiers who refuse to fight!"
You can google Courage to Resist and see their website for more information.
Is there an organization Americans can send money to that supports these wise patriots in their legal defense against deportation?
FrederickJohnson,
Medea, like the rest of the weak "Left", can't seem to get her supporting priorities straight. She would much rather vote for a candidate with a D next to its name rather than a real hero such as Ralph Nader. By the way, Medea was hoping in 2006 that a Democratic sweep would perhaps help end this war in Iraq but now she's forced to cry about it and instead of giving Nader and Sheehan a chance to compete, she would much rather support losers such as PEE-LOW-SICK and Obama given her strong support of John Kerry and her support of allowing the Democratic Party to force Nader off the ballot through frivolous lawsuits. Shit, forcing Nader off the ballot actually backfired big time in the heartland and we beat the fuck out of Tom Daschle with Kerry. Glad to shoot down 2 weak asses in one election ! And that's what's the matter with the so-called "anti-war" movement and the "Left" altogether. They can't get their shit together and support the real progressive/liberal fighters. And then they wonder why the fuck they continue to LOSE LOSE LOSE !! What a shame !
ezeflyer,
The so-called "liberals" in Canada are just like the wimpy Democrats here in America. They don't stand up to wrongdoing and they let the conservatives win. Besides, after the way Democrats have been going out of their way to support Bush on nearly everything for the past two years which is the worst in over 3 decades, I'd say it's time to shoot them down at the polls, don't you? Hey, I too am sick and tired of the GOP and the conservatives but if the Democrats and liberals are going out of their way to appease them, it's like a bad dog turning against its owner at which point you might as well shoot the dog and give it its death penalty for betraying you.
Conservatives? Harper? What were Canadians thinking?
Big shout-outs to all the Canadians who are supporting these guys :)
Canada has always been a MOST WELCOME neighbor of peace and good will to the north!!!
Bush and Harper: take off ya hosers!
CANADA RAWKS BIGTIME!!!!
So who has Ms. Benjamin supported in the past and who does she support today? Read this and find out:
http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/04/25/which-side-are-you-on/
War resisters need not move to Canada. Stop supporting both parties and give 3rd party voices such as Nader, Sheehan, etc ... a chance !
yes, and you can call and write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley, and prime minister Stephen Harper at the numbers below.
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
full list of MP's Phone and email(scroll down a bit)just click on the name
Medea, thank you sooo much for all you have done in the name of peace. And thanks also go to Ann and Libby. And to all the war resisters who are upholding their oath to "protect and defend" our Constitution in the face of the U.S.'s illegal invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation.
It would be really useful if someone would post e-mail address(es) in Canada to lend support for the Parliament's motion.