Jeanfromfillmore
07-23-2011, 04:01 PM
Fake Canadians
Feds must act, but not with impunity
In the past 34 years, only 63 Canadians have had their citizenship revoked for reasons of fraud, false identity, or criminality, including seven who were complicit in war crimes. Suddenly, Ottawa has uncovered 1,800 Canadians who are being stripped of their citizenship for allegedly gaining their status here by fraudulent means.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is on a mission to reshape Canada's image as a soft target for immigration fraud by cracking down on human smugglers and crooked consultants. We applaud him for that. A tough approach similar to the Australian model will cease to make Canada a haven for desperate people willing to risk their lives to make a dangerous passage across the Pacific and be victimized by smugglers who charge as much as $50,000 for a chance at a new life here. Queue-jumping is also unfair to the millions who have come here through legitimate channels.
According to Kenney, many of the 1,800 are citizens of convenience who don't even reside in Canada. Kenney says widespread residency fraud is perpetrated by unscrupulous consultants who create fake addresses with phoney utility bills that they submit as proof of residency, charging clients thousands of dollars. There can be no arguing with a crackdown that targets such fraudsters. RCMP discovered 300 people all claiming their address to be a Mississauga cultural centre, when none actually lived there.
However, the unprecedented scale of the crackdown is worrisome. Although Kenney said the "vast majority" of 1,800 are living outside the country in tax havens, some of those being targeted might easily be victims who literally ran for their lives from certain death and who paid people they assumed were legitimate agents.
Ottawa should not automatically act with impunity. Victims instead of perpetrators may end up being punished. We note the case of Adel Benhmuda, who was tortured in Libya after Ottawa rejected his refugee claim and deported him along with his wife and their four children.
Those caught in the current sweep must appeal to the Federal Court. If they do not, cabinet can void their passports. Court appeals are horrendously expensive and beyond the means of most citizens. For this reason, Kenney says many non-resident citizens of convenience will not challenge their citizenship revocations.
The danger is ensnaring victims who cannot afford to mount a challenge. Access to justice is increasingly becoming an option for the rich. Earlier this year, Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin told a University of Toronto panel that middle-and lowincome Canadians - about 80 per cent of the population - are being priced out of the justice system.
Kenney indicated the 1,800 caught in the current sweep is only the beginning. "We are not done yet," he said.
If Kenney wants to send the proper message that Canada will not tolerate immigration and citizenship fraud, he is succeeding. But victims like Benhmuda must not get swept up in the process.
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Fake+Canadians/5149329/story.html#ixzz1Sya8AWEs
Two alleged war criminals arrested from illegal immigration most-wanted list
The Conservative government’s new “most-wanted” list of alleged fugitive war criminals has yielded tips that have resulted in two arrests in two days.
On Saturday evening, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said in a statement that a fugitive Pakistani, Arshad Muhammad, was arrested in Canada. The minister did not release any details of the case, but said “those who have been involved in war crimes or crimes against humanity will find no haven on our shores; they will be located, and they will face the consequences.”
On Friday, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney had announced Cristobal Gonzalez-Ramirez, formerly of a special army unit in Honduras, was taken into custody in Alberta.
In just a few days, the government’s naming and shaming of the 30 fugitives has proven to be a controversial – and effective – way to resolve deportation cold cases.
Most of the files appear to involve asylum seekers with potentially violent pasts – personal histories that judges concluded made them inadmissible to Canada.
The Canada Border Services Agency, the federal agency in charge of deportations, had apparently lost track of the individuals as deportation orders were issued. Turning to the public for help in resolving these cold cases, the CBSA created a list highlighting the identities of its most wanted targets.
Such lists are far more common in the United States than in Canada. The list of alleged war criminals was announced Thursday. It describes the foreigners as priority targets who “violated human or international rights” in their homelands.
The Tories’ tough-on-immigration-cheats messaging mirrors the anti-crime pronouncements that helped the party gain majority status during May’s federal election. Last week, the Conservatives also announced plans to strip citizenship from 1,800 Canadians who are alleged to have obtained their citizenship under false pretences.
Refugee lawyers have taken issue with the list of alleged war criminals, pointing out many individuals on it have never been charged criminally nor have they been found to be individually responsible for alleged war crimes.
Many were ordered kicked out of Canada after admitting to authorities that they had been affiliated with repressive and violent groups in their homelands.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/two-alleged-war-criminals-arrested-from-illegal-immigration-most-wanted-list/article2107699/
Feds must act, but not with impunity
In the past 34 years, only 63 Canadians have had their citizenship revoked for reasons of fraud, false identity, or criminality, including seven who were complicit in war crimes. Suddenly, Ottawa has uncovered 1,800 Canadians who are being stripped of their citizenship for allegedly gaining their status here by fraudulent means.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is on a mission to reshape Canada's image as a soft target for immigration fraud by cracking down on human smugglers and crooked consultants. We applaud him for that. A tough approach similar to the Australian model will cease to make Canada a haven for desperate people willing to risk their lives to make a dangerous passage across the Pacific and be victimized by smugglers who charge as much as $50,000 for a chance at a new life here. Queue-jumping is also unfair to the millions who have come here through legitimate channels.
According to Kenney, many of the 1,800 are citizens of convenience who don't even reside in Canada. Kenney says widespread residency fraud is perpetrated by unscrupulous consultants who create fake addresses with phoney utility bills that they submit as proof of residency, charging clients thousands of dollars. There can be no arguing with a crackdown that targets such fraudsters. RCMP discovered 300 people all claiming their address to be a Mississauga cultural centre, when none actually lived there.
However, the unprecedented scale of the crackdown is worrisome. Although Kenney said the "vast majority" of 1,800 are living outside the country in tax havens, some of those being targeted might easily be victims who literally ran for their lives from certain death and who paid people they assumed were legitimate agents.
Ottawa should not automatically act with impunity. Victims instead of perpetrators may end up being punished. We note the case of Adel Benhmuda, who was tortured in Libya after Ottawa rejected his refugee claim and deported him along with his wife and their four children.
Those caught in the current sweep must appeal to the Federal Court. If they do not, cabinet can void their passports. Court appeals are horrendously expensive and beyond the means of most citizens. For this reason, Kenney says many non-resident citizens of convenience will not challenge their citizenship revocations.
The danger is ensnaring victims who cannot afford to mount a challenge. Access to justice is increasingly becoming an option for the rich. Earlier this year, Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin told a University of Toronto panel that middle-and lowincome Canadians - about 80 per cent of the population - are being priced out of the justice system.
Kenney indicated the 1,800 caught in the current sweep is only the beginning. "We are not done yet," he said.
If Kenney wants to send the proper message that Canada will not tolerate immigration and citizenship fraud, he is succeeding. But victims like Benhmuda must not get swept up in the process.
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Fake+Canadians/5149329/story.html#ixzz1Sya8AWEs
Two alleged war criminals arrested from illegal immigration most-wanted list
The Conservative government’s new “most-wanted” list of alleged fugitive war criminals has yielded tips that have resulted in two arrests in two days.
On Saturday evening, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said in a statement that a fugitive Pakistani, Arshad Muhammad, was arrested in Canada. The minister did not release any details of the case, but said “those who have been involved in war crimes or crimes against humanity will find no haven on our shores; they will be located, and they will face the consequences.”
On Friday, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney had announced Cristobal Gonzalez-Ramirez, formerly of a special army unit in Honduras, was taken into custody in Alberta.
In just a few days, the government’s naming and shaming of the 30 fugitives has proven to be a controversial – and effective – way to resolve deportation cold cases.
Most of the files appear to involve asylum seekers with potentially violent pasts – personal histories that judges concluded made them inadmissible to Canada.
The Canada Border Services Agency, the federal agency in charge of deportations, had apparently lost track of the individuals as deportation orders were issued. Turning to the public for help in resolving these cold cases, the CBSA created a list highlighting the identities of its most wanted targets.
Such lists are far more common in the United States than in Canada. The list of alleged war criminals was announced Thursday. It describes the foreigners as priority targets who “violated human or international rights” in their homelands.
The Tories’ tough-on-immigration-cheats messaging mirrors the anti-crime pronouncements that helped the party gain majority status during May’s federal election. Last week, the Conservatives also announced plans to strip citizenship from 1,800 Canadians who are alleged to have obtained their citizenship under false pretences.
Refugee lawyers have taken issue with the list of alleged war criminals, pointing out many individuals on it have never been charged criminally nor have they been found to be individually responsible for alleged war crimes.
Many were ordered kicked out of Canada after admitting to authorities that they had been affiliated with repressive and violent groups in their homelands.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/two-alleged-war-criminals-arrested-from-illegal-immigration-most-wanted-list/article2107699/