Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - August 2008
After a four year battle, one of the U.S. soldiers who has been trying to gain refugee status in Canada has been ordered to leave.
The decision was handed down by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration to Officer Jeremy Hinzman, 29, who deserted the army in 2004 and fled to Canada.
Hinzman is one of hundreds of American soldiers who came to Canada since the war in Iraq began. The soldiers object to the war and have been fighting to gain legal status in Canada. A group of supporters in parliament recently attempted - unsuccessfully - to pass legislation that would grant all of these soldiers refugee status.
The issue has sparked much political debate. During the Vietnam War Canada, a nation that did not support the war became a safe-haven for American soldiers who objected. Many throughout Canada feel that the current situation in Iraq merited the same policy. However, the Government’s official stance is that immigration regulations, particularly with regards to refugee claims, have since tightened while many critics feel that pressure from Washington is the real motivation.
Hinzman has decided not to appeal the decision in his case and must return to the U.S. by September 23rd where he is likely to face jail time. Another 9 soldiers are currently still awaiting rulings on their own fates.
Source: Globe and Mail
