CANADIAN POLITICS/ANTI-MILITARISM:

LET THEM STAY IN CANADA:

The following is from the War Resisters' Support Campaign. This is a Canadian organization set up to provide support for US citizens who, rather than participate in the illegal and unethical American occupation of Iraq, have fled to Canada to escape being accomplices or the actual agents of murder.

........................

JANUARY 19-24 : LET THEM STAY WEEK:

If we don't raise our voices loudly and clearly, January will be Deportation Month for Iraq War resisters in Canada. Take a look at this:

***Chris Teske - deportation date January 20

***Cliff Cornell - deportation date January 22

***Kim Rivera (along with spouse Mario, and children Christian, Rebecca and Katie) - deportation date January 27

***Patrick Hart (along with spouse Jill and son Rian) - deportation deferred from January 15 to January 29

***Dean Walcott - deportation deferred from January 6 to January 30

It's no coincidence that these are all stacked up before Parliament returns. And with the throne speech on January 26 and the budget on January 27, we can be sure any late-January deportations will slip under the media radar.

In addition, there are three important court dates in February and March, for Jeremy Hinzman, Joshua Key and Matt Lowell. Decisions in these cases could well affect all the resisters. It would be tragic to send people to military prisons in the US, only to learn a few weeks later that the court is deciding in their favour.

With this in mind, the War Resisters Support Campaign is asking you to join us for Let Them Stay Week.

Beginning January 19, people all over Canada will call Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney, call their MPs, write letters to local newspapers, email their friends, hand out leaflets, blog, Facebook and whatever else we can think of.

We must keep this issue visible, and make our demands clear: we want the Government of Canada to follow the will of the people. The majority of Canadians - almost two-thirds in the most recent poll - want Canada to allow war resisters to stay in Canada. That was clearly expressed in Parliament on June 3, when all three opposition parties passed a motion calling on the Government to Let Them Stay.

Harper ignored the motion, then, after shutting down Parliament, is rapidly deporting war resisters.

This is not only about the 50-odd US war resisters who have applied for refugee status in Canada. It's about democracy. It's about what kind of Canada we want to live in.

Please join us for Let Them Stay week. More details here and on Resisters.ca as they happen.

CANADIAN POLITICS/ANTI-MILITARISM:

SUPPORT WAR RESISTER DEAN WALCOTT:

The following item is from the website of the Vancouver Catholic Worker, and it has been modified from a previous post on the War Resister Support Campaign. Basically, Mr Walcott is the latest in a series of American resisters to their war of conquest in Iraq who have fled their native country to our cold but otherwise hospitable clime. He is also the latest that the government of Sneaky Stevie Harper has ordered deported back to the USA to face whatever military "justice" they may get. Please join the campaign to call for the order of deportation to not be carried out.

...........................

War resister Dean Walcott ordered to leave Canada:

U.S. Iraq war resister Dean Walcott was told on December 3rd that he must leave Canada by January 6th or face deportation to the United States. The decision follows similar ones in the cases of war resisters Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman and family, Patrick Hart and family, and Matt Lowell.

If deported, Dean will face a court martial, jail time and a felony conviction, all because of his refusal to participate in the immoral and illegal war in Iraq. This decision goes against the expressed wishes of the Canadian Parliament which passed a motion on June 3rd calling on the government to allow war resisters to stay in Canada, and it goes against the will of Canadians who have consistently demonstrated in polls that they want war resisters to stay.

The Federal Court stayed the removal orders of Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman and Matt Lowell. The Hart family faces deportation January 15th and will be asking the Court for a similar stay.

Corey Glass has since been granted a new application to stay on Humanitarian & Compassionate grounds. Jeremy Hinzman's appeal date for his negative decision has been set for February 10th 2009, and Matt Lowell is waiting to hear whether his appeal will be heard.

It is time for Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Jason Kenney to put an end to this case-by-case approach to the situation of war resisters in Canada. He must implement a political solution in line with what Canadians and Parliament are calling for and allow Dean, and all of the other courageous young men and women who have said no to participating in the war which even Stephen Harper has admitted was "absolutely a mistake", to stay in Canada.

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney

Call 613.954.1064

MP Jason Kenney’s Parliamentary office:

613.992.2235

Or email him at:

minister@cic.gc.ca

or

Kenney.j@parl.gc.ca

Please cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney:

Liberal party immigration critic Borys Wrzesnewskyj: wrzesnewskyj.b@parl.gc.ca

NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: chow.o@parl.gc.ca

Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: st-cyr.t@parl.gc.caresisters.ca

CANADIAN POLITICS:

BENEFIT FOR U.S. WAR RESISTERS IN CANADA:

This one is for our readers in the Toronto area. The War Resisters Support organization will be holding both a press conference and a benefit for US war resisters this coming August 20. Here's the story.

.....................

Attention Toronto Area Supporters:

This coming Wednesday, August 20th we are planning a major media awareness event at 7:00 p.m. at Steelworkers Hall followed by a musical fundraiser at Grossman's around the corner.

The Harper Government is starting to play "hardball" so the next month will be pivotal in winning over public support for our case!

If you live in the greater Toronto area and are able to attend please take note of the information below.

Media Awareness Meeting

Date: Wednesday August 20th

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Steelworkers Hall - 25 Cecil Street, Toronto.

-----------------------

Benefit for U.S. War Resisters

Live musical performance featuring Chloe Watkinson and the Crossroads

Suggested Donations: $5-10 dollars or PWYC

Date: Wednesday August 20th

Time: 8:30 p.m.

Location: Grossmans Tavern - 379 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

CANADIAN POLITICS:

PAN-CANADIAN DAY OF ACTION FOR U.S. WAR RESISTERS:


The following callout for a day of action on September 13 comes from the War Resisters Support Campaign. See their website for more information.


...........................



Pan-Canadian Day of Action for U.S. Iraq War Resisters - TIME TO ORGANIZE AND ACT :
I encourage all interested parties to read this communique and help out in any way you can. Thanks!


Pan-Canadian Day of Action for U.S. Iraq War Resisters
Saturday, September 13th
THE MAJORITY SUPPORT WAR RESISTERS
Since the historic vote in support of U.S. Iraq War Resisters on June 3rd in the House of Commons, the Harper government has chosen to ignore the will of Parliament and the majority of Canadians. Members of Parliament voted 137 to 110 in support of a motion to allow Iraq war resisters to stay.


An extensive Angus Reid national poll conducted after the June 3rd vote showed that over 64% of Canadians want our government to let Iraq war resisters stay. In every province and territory, a majority of Canadians want Harper’s minority government to let them stay.


Moreover, two separate Federal Court of Appeal rulings, for war resisters Joshua Key and Corey Glass, challenged decisions made at the Immigration and Refugee Board level. These historic legal victories only reinforce our arguments that resisters should be allowed to stay.


HARPER IGNORES MAJORITY; JAILS AND DEPORTS ROBIN LONG
In spite of this, war resister Robin Long from Nelson, B.C. was arrested by Canadian authorities in July. Robin was imprisoned in Canada, and physically assaulted while in a Canadian prison. The Canadian Border Services Agency, under Minister Stockwell Day, deported Robin to prison in the United States.


In her Federal Court decision that sent Robin Long back to the United States, Judge McTavish claimed that Robin Long would not face “irreparable harm.” However, Robin currently sits in an American prison, facing a court martial and a potential sentence of 3 years in military prison plus a felony conviction that will last his whole life.


The Harper government ignored the will of Canadians and Parliament by sending Robin back to the U.S. to imprisonment and punishment for opposing and speaking out against the Iraq war.


In response to this blatant disregard for the elected Parliament and the will of Canada’s majority, the War Resisters Support Campaign is calling for a Pan-Canadian and international day of action in support of Iraq war resisters in Canada.
TIME TO ORGANIZE AND ACT
Parliament begins a new session on September 15th. A federal election is also on the horizon. It’s time for our Campaign to show the grass roots support across Canada for Iraq war resisters and renew our call for Harper to implement the June 3rd motion and stop the deportations now.


Across Canada, actions will be taking place in small towns and cities to show the breadth of support for Iraq war resisters.


On Saturday, September 13th, we need supporters to:
- organize a local picket at the office of your M.P., especially if they are Conservative;
- demonstrate outside a federal government building;
- encourage supporters to call their M.P. and write letters to the editor of the local paper;
- show the media and politicians that there is a grassroots majority movement across Canada that wants to let war resisters stay here!


If your community can organize an action, please send us your plans and local call-outs to the War Resisters Support Campaign so we can coordinate and communicate through our website (http://www.resisters.ca/) and list-serves.


E-mail us at: resisters@sympatico.ca
Check http://www.resisters.ca/ for updates on the day of action, or to add your name to our list-serve.
Produced by the War Resisters Support Campaign
Phone: 416-598-1222
E-mail: resisters@sympatico.ca
Web: http://www.resisters.ca/

CANADIAN POLITICS:

WAR RESISTER ROBIN LONG DEPORTED BUT THE STRUGGLES CONTINUES:

US war resister Robin Long has been deported back to America to face military "justice", but the struggle continues to allow other Americans who have fled the USA rather than serve in its illegal wars to stay in Canada. The following item from the War Resisters Support-Canada group tells the story and how you can help.

.............................

Canada's Shame:Harper government deports US War Resister Robin Long :

Against the wishes of Canadians and Canada's Parliament, the federal government deported U.S. Iraq war resister Robin Long to the United States, where he faces punishment for refusing to participate in the Iraq War.

Robin is currently being held at the Buckley City Jail near Fort Lewis, Washington. Last night supporters and a lawyer were able to get in to visit Robin. He will likely be transferred to Fort Carson, Colorado next week.

More details will be posted as information becomes available, including details of how people can send messages of support to Robin.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is calling on supporters across Canada to urgently continue to put pressure on the minority conservative government to immediately cease deportation proceedings against other US war resisters and to respect the will of Canadians and their elected representatives by implementing the motion adopted by Parliament on June 3rd. Please see the take action page for what you can do.

------------------

Take Action By:

CALL PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER

AND MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION DIANE FINLEY

Tell them you want them to:

• immediately cease all deportation proceedings against US Iraq war resisters in Canada

• implement the motion adopted by the House of Commons on June 3rd, 2008 by creating a program that would allow US Iraq war resisters to apply for permanent resident status in Canada

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper

613.992.4211

Stephen Harper's constituency office:

403.253.7990

Or email him at:

harper.s@parl.gc.ca

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley

613.996.4974

MP Diane Finley’s constituency office (Simcoe):

519.426.3400

Or email her at:

minister@cic.gc.caorfinled1@parl.gc.ca

CALL MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY STOCKWELL DAY

Please take a moment to email or phone Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, and ask him to immediately stop the deportation of U.S. Iraq war resisters. (The Canadian Border Services Agency falls under his ministry).

Also ask him why the federal government is refusing to respect the clearly expressed will of Canada's Parliament, that U.S. war resisters should be allowed to stay and that deportation proceedings against them should cease?

In a recent Angus Reid poll, almost two-thirds of Canadians said they want U.S. Iraq war resisters to be allowed to stay in Canada. Demand to know why the Harper government is unwilling to be accountable to Canadians.

Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day

Email:

day.s@parl.gc.ca (Ottawa office)

days1@parl.gc.ca (Penticton constituency office)

Phone:

613.995.1702 (Ottawa)

250.770.4480 (Penticton constituency office)

Fax:

613.995.1154 (Ottawa);

250.770.4484 (Penticton)

* * *

It is more urgent than ever that we send a message to the Canadian government that Canada needs to welcome US men and women who refuse to participate in the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. There are three actions you can take today to help support the war resisters.

* Sign the petition in support of the war resisters;(See the War Resisters Support-Canada website-Molly)

* Contact the federal government and make your views known; and

* Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

CANADIAN POLITICS:

HELP SAVE CORY GLASS:

Cory Glass is an ex-member of the US National Guard who, after serving five months in the American occupation force in Iraq, deserted during a brief at-home leave and fled to Canada. Glass, along with many others who recognize the war and occupation as illegal and immoral, have sought sanctuary in Canada. Last June 3rd Canada's Parliament passed a motion saying that the war resisters presently in Canada should be allowed to stay. The Conservative government has refused to act on this motion and has continued deportation proceedings against Glass and others. This coming Thursday, the day Glass is due to be deported the War Resisters Support Campaign will be holding a demonstration in Ottawa to protest the deportation. This follows numerous demonstrations and other actions at Conservative Constituency Offices across the country. One, halfway between a sit-in and a vigil, was held here in Winnipeg on July 3rd at the offices of Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge.

Here's the announcement from the War Resisters' Support campaign....

.............................

Human Chain stretching from the Federal Court to U.S. Consulate

STOP THE DEPORTATION OF U.S. IRAQ WAR RESISTERS

-- Human Chain stretching from the Federal Court to U.S. Consulate

Thursday, July 10th

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Northwest corner of Queen Street West and University Avenue

The Harper government is refusing to respect the will of Parliament and attempting to deport Iraq War Resisters.

A motion passed in the House of Commons June 3rd called for a provision to allow war resisters to stay and to stop removal proceedings against war resisters in Canada. The Harper government is refusing to implement that motion.

Sgt. Corey Glass has been asked to leave Canada on July 10th. Many other resisters face a similar fate if the Harper government continues to ignore Parliament and the majority of Canadians.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is calling on all supporters to join U.S. Iraq War Resisters to create a human chain from the Federal Court building on Queen Street to the U.S. Consulate.

Supporters are encouraged to bring placards, signs, organization banners, and their friends and family to show that the majority of Canadians want war resisters to stay.

For more information:

http://www.resisters.ca/

416 598 1222

..............................

The case of another war resister also highlights the questions surrounding why the Harper Government is in such a rocket-propelled "firecracker-up-the-ass" hurry to get their dirty deeds done before it becomes impossible to do them. Last Friday, July 4th, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the case of Josua Key (see left) that the Refugee Board erred in law by refusing Key status as a refugee. This ruling could affect the cases of all of the US war resisters presently seeking asylum in Canada. The following story from the CBC tells about this decision. Consult another in the Toronto Star for even more details on this case.

U.S. deserter could qualify as refugee: court

An American war deserter could have a valid claim for refugee status in Canada, the Federal Court ruled on Friday.

I n a decision that may have an impact on dozens of refugee claimants in Canada, Federal Court Justice Robert Barnes said Canada's refugee board erred by rejecting the asylum bid of Joshua Key. He ordered that a new panel reconsider the application.

Key was sent to Iraq in 2003 as a combat engineer for eight months where he said he was responsible for nighttime raids on private Iraqi homes, which included searching for weapons.
He alleged that during his time in Iraq he witnessed several cases of abuse, humiliation, and looting by the U.S. army.

When Key was back in the U.S on a two-week leave, he said he was suffering from debilitating nightmares and that he couldn't return. A military lawyer told him that he could either return to Iraq or face prison.

Instead, Key took his family to Canada and applied for refugee status.

While the immigration board concluded that some of the alleged conduct by the U.S military included a "disturbing level of brutality," it said the conduct did not meet the definition of a war crime or a crime against humanity.

Barnes said the board erred “by concluding that refugee protection for military deserters and evaders is only available where the conduct objected to amounts to a war crime, a crime against peace or a crime against humanity."

Citing a case from the U.S. Federal Court of Appeal, Barnes said officially condoned military misconduct could still support a refugee claim, even if it falls short of a war crime.

"The authorities indicate that military action which systematically degrades, abuses or humiliates either combatants or non-combatants is capable of supporting a refugee claim where that is the proven reason for refusing to serve," Barnes wrote.

Barnes said the board imposed a legal standard that was "too restrictive" on Key, who lives in Saskatchewan.

Key's lawyer, Jeffry House, said the ruling expands a soldier's right to refuse military service.
"It's a huge victory for numerous soldiers who are here and maybe others who are thinking of coming here," House said.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Diane Finley said they were reviewing the court decision.

CANADIAN POLITICS:

COMING EVENTS TO SUPPORT U.S. WAR RESISTER COREY GLASS:

This item comes via the Northern Prairie Anarchist board, but is originally from the War Resisters Support Campaign. The latter are a group of Canadian citizens who are in support of the right of American war resisters who have refused to fight America's present illegal wars to remain in Canada. Two events are coming up in the next few days. One is a national day of protest on July 2, and the other is a Toronto event on July 3. Read on.

......................................

From supporters of Corey Glass…

============ =========
http://www.facebook .com/group. php?gid=28919541 984

Communiqué : June 23, 2008

Salut Everyone!

Mike and I first want to thank everyone for joining in to support Corey Glass and for all the letters and calls to our Canadian government.

It’s great to see all the national and international support. It’s simply wonderful.

As all you wonderful people know, we got a huge victory lift when our Canadian Parliament passed with a majority the “war resister” motion, which would allow Corey and the other resisters to stay.

The fight does end there... Since the motion is technically non-binding, we have to put our weight against the Conservative (Tory) government to implement it – and rescind Corey’s deportation order, which is set for July 10th.

The War Resister Support Campaign (WRSC) has been busy little bees targeting Tory ridings to pressure them to implement the Parliamentary motion.

For more info about the vote and the campaign please see, http://www.resister%20s.ca/

Mike and I will also be continuously updating the site with information in these crucial next weeks.

If you’ve ever felt passionate about an issue and wanted to make a difference, this is your time. Get active! Canadian, American, International support is always welcome!

With your help (and yes, I mean YOU cuz all the YOUS add up to one big WE), we can make this right, force the Tories to follow through on Canadian wishes and the Parliamentary motion, and keep Corey and the other resisters in Canada.

To end, here’s two things/dates to remember (more TBA):

1: Everyone can partake in this one on July 2nd: Corey Glass National Day of Action http://www.facebook .com/event. php?eid=26162301 557&ref=mf

2: If you’re in the GTA area: Rally to Stop the Deportation of Parkdale Resident Corey Glasshttp://www.facebook .com/event. php?eid=16815358 663&ref=mf

If you haven’t already done so, please contact Diane Finley, our Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. She can stop Corey Glass’ deportation.(if you’re not in Canada, I suggest email)

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

And contact our Prime Minister, who can direct Finley to act according to our wishes and allow all the resisters to stay in Canada.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper

phone 613.992.4211

fax 613.941.6900

email

pm@pm.gc.ca

Thanks everyone!-Krystalline and Mike
__._,_.___

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FROM TURKEY:
The good news first: Four Turks accused of "insulting Turkishness" in their translation of a Noam Chomsky book into Turkish were found "not guilty" by the Turkish courts on December 20th. Many prosecutions have been brought against Turkish writers under article 301 of the Penal Code. Most have resulted in acquittals. The case against the publishers of Chomsky's book was based on Chomsky's descriptions of Turkey's treatment of it Armenian minority. Most prosecutions of writers under this section of Turkey's legal code have resulted in acquittals. In this case the prosecutions was dismissed as "having no case to answer".
Then the bad news. Conscientious objector Halil Savda has been arrested on the first day (Dec. 22) of his retrial on charges of "insistent disobedience". He was originally arrested on Dec. 16, 2004 and then released on Dec 28th, 2004. A military tribunal sentenced him to 3 months and 15 days imprisonment, but this decision was overturned by a Military Appeals Board on August 13th, 2006, and a new trail was ordered. Mr. Savda was arrested as he went to attend the first day of his retrial under the pretext that he was a flight risk. Sorta odd when he had actually shown up for the trial. A group of Ankara feminists and Ankara Anarchy Initiative are appealing for international support for Mr. Savda and others who refuse to serve the Turkish military. To learn more about this case and cases in other countries go to the Refusing to Kill site. To learn about Canadians who are helping Americans who refuse to fight in the occupation of Iraq go to War Resisters Support Campaign Canada.