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Panel says "Fire Jason Kenney"

Halifax event part of national day of action against Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism

by Kaley Kennedy

About 50 people gathered at a panel discussion criticizing Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. Photo by David Parker
About 50 people gathered at a panel discussion criticizing Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. Photo by David Parker

On July 27, about 50 people gathered at the North Branch Memorial Library for a panel discussion on migrant justice.  The event was part of a national day of action against Jason Kenney, the federal minister of immigration. Panelists criticized Kenney for a variety of reasons, including immigration policy changes that have occurred under his authority, and statements he has made that activists say overstep his role as minister.

“Jason Kenney has been dubbed the Minister of “Censorship and Deportation” because of his record as one of the most repressive immigration ministers,” explained David Parker who spoke on behalf of No One is Illegal – Halifax,. “There is a growing grassroots movement across the country rising out of schools, neighbourhoods, and workplaces to reject Kenney and his oppressive and racist policies.”

According to NOII-Halifax, under Jason Kenney, 13,000 people were deported last year or approximately 75 per day, and 56 per cent fewer asylum claims were accepted. Kenney was also behind Bill C-11, which the Canadian Council for Refugees has criticized for establishing a two-tiered refugee claim system based on a refugee claimant's country of origin, and removed references to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights from the Canadian citizenship guide.

Panellist Roger Davies came to Canada when he was 23 to resist the draft for the American war on Vietnam.  He spoke to Kenney’s assertion that refugee claims by war resisters from the US are illegitimate, despite two orders passed in the House of Commons supporting the rights of war resisters to stay in Canada.

“[When I came to Canada] a door was open. It was a door that was really welcoming at times. It was a door that made it somewhat easy for many of us to come here, and 50 or 60 000 did come. Since those days that door has been slammed shut,” said Davies.

Judy Haiven, who spoke to Kenney’s pro-Isreal agenda, discussed how Kenney’s policies are based in racist assumptions that attempt to polarize people as good or bad.

“Kenney and his cabinet cronies are big boosters of the idea of good guys and bad guys – people in white hats and people in black hats. Christians, Jews, people of “the Book” who are white and European and western-oriented, they represent the good,” said Haiven.   “And frankly  [according to Kenney] Arabs and Muslims represent the bad.”

Amr Nassrat, an Egyptian Muslim man who has been living in Canada since 2004, says he is one of the black hats.

“I never realized the list of [Kenney’s] injustices was this long,” he said. “It gives me hope in Canada to see you all here.”

“There are many Kenney’s in the immigration system,” says Nassrat, who explains that he has been repeatedly mistreated within the immigration system. “I came here today to tell people there is injustice and to see if there is something I can do for my self and others.”

Currently, there are between 200 000 and 500 000 people living without status in Canada.
 


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Topics: Migration
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Comments

NOII=astroturf

NOONEISILLEGAL has never been up front about who its donors are. Unlike most other lobby groups, NOII has never published a donors' list, nor revealed where the funding comes from for, among other things, their costly ISP account in California.

The fact is that most Canadians are weary of Canada's post Trudeau-Mulroney immigration system, with its unwillingness to block or deport dangerous criminals, and the huge influx of bogus 'refugee' claimants who come here for no other reason than to avail themselves of Singh Decision-promised social benefits.

The poor, disadvantaged people the government has been trying to deport include the likes of William Imona Russel, a rapist and murderer:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/article/835331--imona-russel-timeline

Other tragic deportation cases include violent criminal elements, like MS-13 members.

Progressive activists also practice Doublethink, on the issue of mass immigration, when they fail to see--or refuse to acknowledge--the link between immigration-fuelled population growth (71% of Canada's total growth) and urban sprawl. Immigration driven housing developments have lead to the annual loss of thousands of hectares of undeveloped greenspace, as well as loss of farmland (less than 5% of Canada is arable), along with escalating stress on freshwater supplies. Along with groups like NOII, developers and banks have lobbied for liberalizing immigration laws; this common agenda leads one to conclude that NOII is an 'astroturf' (fake grass roots) group, fronting for corporate interests.

Finally, Judy Haiven ends everything in a bang, by trotting out the antisemitic conspiracy theories espoused by so many 'progressive' propaganda outlets: 'Zionists,' colluding with Christians in some sort of racist plot. NOII is a joke, just like their agenda.

Yes all that money No One Is

Yes all that money No One Is Illegal has... Who are its donors, the Bronfman's, the Astor's, the Rockefeller's or perhaps the the Eaton's? You're so right strawman they have so much money. Why at least years NOII Christmas party I remember they served their famous lobster and caviar omletes with an 86' Margaux Bordeaux . Simply divine!

I reserve serious discussion for serious comments.

Proof

Guess it's hard to find proof to back up your lies and fabrications Mr. I know who funds NOII. Give your head a shake.

No One Is Illegal Halifax

No One Is Illegal Halifax (NOII Hfx) is a coalition of migrants and allies which advocates and fights for the rights, dignity, and respect of immigrants and refugees, as well as those living without status in Canada.

The support from community members at the 'Fire Jason Kenney' event was tremendous, from all walks of life, including US war resisters, migrants facing deportation, LGBTQ activists, and Palestinian solidarity activists.

Across Canada, the national day of action against Kenney was a success, in cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.

NOII Hfx does not receive corporate funding or private funding. We receive organizational support from NSPIRG, in the form of in-kind contributions like printing, photocopying, outreach, etc. We are planning a fundraiser concert on September 24th at the Bus Stop, featuring LAL from Toronto, and local artists. Come out!

We have no ISP accounts, and we host our blog at blogspot, a free web service.

Canada is very willing to deport all kinds of people. The term 'bogus refugee' is a rhetorical flourish that paints migrants as liars and deceitful. In fact Canada refuses the majority of refugee claimants, and has lowered their annual target of accepted asylum seekers, which means they're planning on accepting a decreasing amount of claimants. These quotas make it impossible for all people fleeing situations of danger and violence a real chance at gaining status in Canada.

In the past year, an Eritrean man who was refused refugee status committed suicide upon receiving an order from CBSA for deportation. He was afraid he would receive a deportation date the next day, according to his lawyer. The fact is, Canada doesn't take these risks seriously. Over 99% of Pre Removal Risk Assessments (PRRAs) get refused in Atlantic Canada, that means CBSA determines less than 1% of failed refugee claimants are in real danger if deported to their home country. So for example people facing deportation to Pakistan are not deemed to face danger in Pakistan, a country that is, at the same time, not deemed safe for travel for Canadian citizens.

And finally, the largest threat to Canada's freshwater supplies is the Alberta Tar Sands, not migrants. The Tar Sands is the largest industrial project in human history and likely also the most destructive. For more info, check http://oilsandstruth.org

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