Don’t deport war resistors

June 4, 2008

The House of Commons on Tuesday (see article below) passed a on-binding resolution asking the Harper government to grant permanent residence status to war resistors and their families. All three opposition parties joined forces to out-vote the government by 137-110.

The war resisters’/conscientious objectors attempts to gain refugee status have been turned down by immigration officials and by the courts. Unlike the situation during the Vietnam war era, these anti-war Americans have no recourse in law.

While it is very likely the government will simply ignore the vote given its pro-US and pro-Iraq war stance, this is an important opportunity to show support for war resistors in the pages of the country’s newspapers.

Write a letter demanding the government listen to the MPs representing over 60% of those voted in the last election.

Write a short letter – in this case even one paragraph is adequate - to the editor demanding that the government listen to the will of parliament and the Canadian people and allow the 200 or so conscientious objectors to remain in Canada.

FRAMING: Canadians overwhelmingly oppose the Iraq war, launched on the basis of lies and deception and continuing to take the lives of innocent Iraqis. As a country, Canada has a tradition of peacekeeping, peace-making and support for war resistors and draft-dodgers. We should honour that Canadian tradition.

Facts and arguments:

• Phil McDowell, a former U.S. army sergeant from Warwick, R.I., served a year in Iraq and then sought a discharge. When the army told him his enlistment would have to be extended, he deserted and fled to Canada in October 2006.

• U.S. soldier Corey Glass decided two years ago that he would rather be a criminal for fleeing the Iraq war than be a criminal by staying in it.

• The Iraq war is recognized as illegal, immoral and a threat to world peace by the populations of virtually every country in the world. The vast majority of Iraqis want the Americans to leave their country. We should be supporting anyone who has the courage to refuse involvement.

• The vast majority of Canadians oppose the war in Iraq – allowing for war resistors to be deported and possibly jailed for their actions betrays Canadian democracy.

• The vote in the House represents the will of a majority of Canadians – ignoring it is contempt of Parliament.

• US soldiers have been manipulated and lied to about what to expect when they signed up – reservists promised no combat role, soldiers doing 3 and 4 tours of duty sometimes for as long as a year each, horror stories about the shoddy medical care they receive on return, soldier suicide rate at a record high. We have a moral obligation to welcome those fleeing this corrupt system.

Click here to SEND YOUR LETTER NOW!