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Canadian Government Continues Ouster of US War Resisters
America's neighbor to the north is erecting barriers to Iraq War resisters seeking asylum
In the past weeks, the Harper Administration has moved swiftly to push U.S. Iraq War resisters out of Canada, issuing removal orders to five more resisters who had resettled up north. Two have recently been forced out of the country, and the rest continue their appeals through the Canadian Courts. This adds to the growing number of U.S. war resisters in Canada who are being threatened with deportation and eventually U.S. military court martials and imprisonment.
"According to the Nuremberg principles, people have the right to a free conscience," said Ryan Johnson, a former soldier who refused deployment to Iraq and resettled in Canada in June 2005. "We should be allowed to stay based on that."
Since the beginning of the Iraq War, dozens of U.S. troops resisting service in Iraq have applied for refugee status in Canada, on the grounds that, were they handed back to U.S. military custody, they would face persecution for refusing to participate in an illegal war. Several Afghanistan War resisters have also made Canada their home, with an estimated 200 U.S. war resisters currently residing in that country.
Cliff Cornell, who resettled in Canada after refusing to deploy to Iraq in 2005, returned to the United States when the Canadian government denied him a stay of removal. He was arrested by U.S. border police last week and taken to a county jail in Bellingham, Washington. Following a community vigil at the jail, Cornell was released and given five days to travel to Ft. Stewart, Georgia on his own accord. He is expected to face court martial, and supporters have set up a defense fund to cover his legal fees.
The 28 year-old from Mountain Home, Arkansas refused to go to war because "it just didn't feel right," he told his supporters at a 2005 rally in Canada. "I don't want to be killing innocent people."
Chris Teske, a former U.S. Army paratrooper and infantryman who refused recall to Iraq after serving two tours in Afghanistan, also left to the United States after receiving removal orders. Teske was not arrested crossing the border and is currently consulting legal counsel to turn himself in.
"It seems as hard as I try to forget the institution which enslaved me, they have not forgotten about me," Teske said in a January 2009 statement. "I have been denied at every turn in my immigration process. I have now been ordered to leave Canada."
Three other resisters-Kimberly Rivera, Patrick Hart, and Dean Walcott-were issued deportation proceedings in recent weeks, which they appealed through the Canadian judicial system. They have won temporary stays, which will likely delay deportation a few months and could possibly lead to successful appeals.
Several more war resisters-including Jeremy Hinzman, Joshua Key, and Matt Lowell-have been fighting deportation orders for months and have thus far avoided deportation. In a remarkable legal victory, a Federal Court in Canada rejected the reasons given by the Immigration and Refugee Board for denying refugee status to Joshua Key and ordered a new hearing. Hinzman, who arrived in Canada with his wife and son over five years ago, will have an appeal hearing on February tenth. Last year his wife Nga gave birth to a baby girl, who is a Canadian citizen.
The flurry of removal proceedings follows the July 2008 deportation of Robin Long, a former soldier who resettled to Canada rather than deploy to Iraq with his unit. Long was handed over to U.S. military custody, where he was court martialed and sentenced to 15 months of confinement in August, 2008. He was the first resister to be deported from Canada since the Vietnam War.
The government's actions fly in the face of Canadian popular opinion. Canadians are overwhelmingly in support of allowing war resisters to stay, with 64 percent in favor of granting them permanent residence, according to a June 2008 Angus Reid Strategies poll. In June 2008, a resolution was passed in the Canadian Parliament to allow war resisters apply for permanent residence in Canada. Yet, the minority conservative Harper government has refused to implement this non-binding resolution, and the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) has moved forward with issuing deportation orders to resisters who have applied for asylum.
Jason Kenney, Canada's new Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, has come under fire in recent weeks for referring to war resisters as "bogus refugee claimants." He stated in a January 2009 interview, "I don't appreciate people adding to the backlog and clogging up the system whose claims are being rejected consistently 100 per cent of the time."
"The Canadian Council on Refugees and other similar organization have spoken out, saying that Iraq War resisters are certainly legitimate refugee candidates and that this is government interference in the refugee process," refutes Carolyn Egan, of the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada.
"The U.S. war and occupation of Iraq is now universally recognized as illegal, or at least plain wrong-even by President Obama," said Jeff Paterson, a Gulf War Resister and Project Director of Courage to Resist, a U.S.-based war resister support organization. "Canada as a nation saw this truth before many Americans did. There should be no question that resisters to unjust war are deserving of refuge from prosecution and deployment."
Once issued by the government, the deportation orders are being fought through the Canadian court system. "Recent legal decisions made by the federal courts have been influenced by Canadian popular opinion," said Gerry Condon, a Vietnam War resister and organizer with Project Safe Haven. "Support for war resisters has done a great deal to slow down the deportation proceedings."
Condon noted that even as these deportations are taking place, new war resisters are arriving in Canada. "It is still possible for AWOL GIs to go to Canada," said Condon. "They can apply for refugee status and expect at least a year of freedom in Canada. It is not easy, but it beats going to war or jail."
War resisters in Canada have been met with widespread support from anti-war activists in the U.S. and Canada. The War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada organized an emergency week of action in response to the deportation proceedings, and supporters from the U.S. and Canada appealed to Canadian authorities to allow war resisters to stay. Courage to Resist has helped coordinate solidarity efforts in the United States and is raising legal funds to help defend those who have already been deported.
"We certainly haven't stopped the deportations, and we may be seeing more in the coming months," said Condon. "But the struggle to support war resisters will continue on both sides of the border."
To donate to Cliff Cornell's legal defense, visit: www.couragetoresist.org
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20 Comments so far
Show AllIt is truly sad that the current minority Canadian government, which garnered a whopping 37% of the votes in the 2008 election, is so afraid of pissing off the United States, that it continues to expel war resistors who refuse to fight an illegal war.
That is no surprise, however. If Stephen Harper had been prime minister when the U.S. went to war in Iraq, he would have sent Canadian troops to assist in destroying a country, based on Bush's lies.
Unfortunately the courts have been put in a terrible position. It's not up to the legal system to make national policy decisions on behalf of a wrong-headed government.
The only hope is to continue to protest loudly, support war resistors' support groups and hope that at some point Canadian opposition parties topple the current government with a non-confidence vote.
Canada USED to be a nation deserving of respect. My mother was a Canadian and loved her country. Were she alive today, she would be bitterly disappointed to she the direction it has chosen. It shouldn't allow itself to be the tail wagged by the USA.
"It shouldn't allow itself to be the tail wagged by the USA."
Canada and the United States are more integrated in more ways than most people (Canadians and Americans) realize. I have always referred to this as the unspoken relationship.
Sioux Rose
It's such a telling description that those who protest war and take measures NOT to fight are considered unlawful, while those who kill as others tell them to kill, too otften are considered heroes. Once again, damning proof that for America "Mars rules."
Much like those who protest environmental destruction are the ones labeled "Eco-terrorists" as opposed to those actually doing the destruction. When it happens to a building we call it "vandalism"; when it happens to a forest, we call it "development".
Same paradigm, really. "Mars rules", like you said.
Canada needs a government whose leaders are not so eager to please their masters in Washington.
They seem to think that by currying favor , Canada gains special privileges.
Nothing is further from the truth.
There was recently a commission formed by Polar States to examine the future of the Arctic and to work towards designing a framework so as to ensure that eco-system protected and any conflict headed off before they got too serious.
Canada is a major Polar nation yet failed to send a representative because the USA did not support the initiative.
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland all sit on the commission.
We should pull out of NATO. We should dump Norad and Nafta. We should take control of our own resources, our own future , and designs policies best suited to Canada , and not ones that benefit the United States of Shamerica.
>>The only hope is to continue to protest loudly, support war resistors' support groups and hope that at some point Canadian opposition parties topple the current government with a non-confidence vote
Unfortunately this will accomplish little.
Ignatieff would be as much a lapdog to the United States as harper. He was a supporter of the republican party while he taught in the United States and was in support of Canada joining in on the plundering of Iraq.
As a Canadian, I am ashamed of our government. What's worse, the leader of the official opposition is almost more hawkish pro-israel. He too supported the war in iraq, praised israel for the actions it took to "defend itself" in Gaza, etc.
Canada is backsliding seriously..
If the war resisters are forced to return to desolation nation, perhaps they will become the primary speakers in the anti war-of-choice movement.
I'm sorry but running to Canada isn't gonna solve squat. We need our troops to use their skills to protest even if it means holding their guns to the neocons' heads.
Oh, please. These people were not DRAFTED - they signed up. Recruited, sold a bill of goods, whatever. Same difference - they signed up. Often, as in Cliff Cornell's case, when the illegal invasion of Iraq was well underway.
Sorry. When you voluntarily sign up with the military, & that military is engaged in innumerable so-called wars/terrorist attacks around the world, you can bet you'll be going to the front lines. Somewhere.
What the hell did you expect? Homeland Security detail along the Oregon coast?
Just because you sign a contract doesn't mean that you can live with the terms of that contract. Those who joined the national guard did indeed expect to be doing Homeland Security detail in their states, not be flown thousands of miles to kill people.
But let's stick with the reg force. Up here in Canada, when you join the reg force you do have the right to request release from your contract. When I served them you could get out within six months of making the request. In the states, I don't think that option exists. I've also heard disturbing stories that us army medics don't really exist; all soldiers - 'medics' or not carry weapons. That's not right, if you don't want to kill yet still want to serve you should be allowed to serve as a real medic.
That being said, I'd rather these volunteers went back to the states. Not out of any animosity towards them for bailing on their contracts, but because it's the right thing for them to do. They're not going to be shot, they're not going to be thrown in jail for the rest of their lives, they don't deserve to be allowed to jump the immigration line because they were soldiers in another country.
Ring Paul Huggins
Back in 1964 I was in college in far out far west Texas and my second roomie was a Green Beret just back from the Nam on the G.I Bill. He was on the Berlin Wall and also pulled back from the Bay of Pigs invasion when Kennedy called it off. My friend was in Cambodia and Laos in 1958. Yeah, yeah, the US did not have any military presence there then (B.S.). Ike put the US in there under SEATO but Ike was a good guy. Anyway my roomie (with whom I spent Christmas this year some 40 plus years later)) told me that we (the USA) should not be in Nam, we were gonna lose miserably, spend a lot of lives and money and that I should join the Peace Corp or work in a hospital instead of joining up or getting drafted. Long story short I took his advice and went in the VISTA (like Company of Young Canadians) after college and worked on an Indian Reservation (Native Reserve in Canada) in Montana and later immigrated to Canada settling in Kamloops, B.C. Later that year I was coming out of the Canadain Inn and bumped into a guy walking up the steps. It was the P.M. of Canada Trudeau. I introduced myself, shook his hand and told him I had just immigrated from the USA. He told me he was delighted to have all us talented young Americans come to Canada; most of us were college educated by the by.
Ok, the offical US government propaganda was that some 5,000 American "draft dogers" went to Canada. It was more like 50 thousand to be realistic. Thousands of others went elsewhere, (Clinton went to England and Bush Jr. did something else) hid out in caves in Nevada or stayed in the states creativly changing names and identities. Later President Ford granted amnesty. He was a good guy.
So you are probably asking yourself why I am telling you my story. Partly because I am tired of the flack I have taken all my life for being a so called "draft doger" and that it really pisses me off that officials in Canada are worried about a "few dozen" guys who went AWOL in protest of another "military police action (not a constitutionally declared war) and fled (some with wives and kids)to Canada and are being sent back after Canada took in 50 thousand "draft dogers" in the 60's and 70's.
In conclusion: I tell you that I am the chief instigator of an organization (now international) of patriotic citizens known as the Terlingua Liberation Front whom are prepared and dedicated to protect the Constitutions of the United States of America and Austrailia and any other nation wishing to join us to protect the rights of citizens in our member nations.
It is time for citizens to stand up worldwide and rest power from crooked politicians. Jefferson said, " The govenment that governs least, governs best.
He also said that people who melt their guns into plowshares will pull the plows for those who do not!
May the Great Spirit bless Canada and the USA.
If Canada can enthusiatically serve up Marc Emery (a Canadian cirtizen for God's sake!) on a silver platter to the US, what hope is there for US war resisters? Ironically this is the same Canada that balked on returning serial murderer Charles Ng to California back in the eighties. Maybe serial murderers have a better chance of refugee status in Canada? I'm being highly sarcastic and satirical, but the irony doesn't escape me.
'Maybe serial murderers have a better chance of refugee status in Canada? I'm being highly sarcastic and satirical, but the irony doesn't escape me.'
Eeep. I totally forgot about Ng - see kids if you grow up to be a mass murderer you'll be forgotten.
Actually the thing with Ng was we didn't want to send someone to face a death penalty, anything short of state execution is fine with us - apparantly. After all noone's been tossed in jail for that M. Arar guy being tortured...
Obama is the President now, there is no anti-war movement anymore. If there is, I have not seen or heard of it. And I live in a BIG TIME Obama area where there used to be a lot of war protests. Gone like the wind. War is back in style and dissent is racism!
and also like another poster posted, these guys and gals enlisted of their own free will. They need to serve like they promised when they took that oath. If they want to desert, send them to Leavenworth! BTW, I am a Military Veteran and served my whole term! I KNEW while I served and before I joined I could be sent anywhere and have to do about anything. They tell you that up front.
one more point, this is great. CA got sick of Canada holding NG, and NG's sentence was up in Canada. CA authorites that wanted NG, told Canada, fine you keep him! Canada sent him to CA quickly after that.
No, we sent him back after CA promised not to execute him. At no point did CA tell us to keep him, the only thing the man did in Canada was shoplift.
Soldiers "contracts" don't override their Nuremberg duty to refuse an illegal order. The evident propensity of the US military justice system to persecute them for doing their duty to refuse is what makes them proper refugees. The present Canada government, by acting as a US accomplice in refusing asylum and thus trying to help coerce morally aware GIs within the US into staying the course and failing their Nuremberg duties, also commits a war crime or crime against humanity in Iraq. This would all be circumvented if those who work to "support the resisters" would simply assist them to transfer their applications to some more hospitable venue, such as (if no other Anglo country will serve) a Latin American country: Cuba, say, or Venezuela, or Costa Rica. "Supporters" do their refugee clients a disservice by preferring to work for political change within Canada rather than work to protect the interests of their clients.