monday: emergency rally for war resister matt lowell

Tomorrow, October 27, US war resister Matt Lowell and his lawyer will appear in federal court to request a stay of deportation. If they succeed, Matt will have more time in which to request "leave to appeal" from the court. If unsuccessful, Matt will be ordered to leave Canada on Tuesday, October 28.

Join your neighbours in Toronto, London and Ottawa to protest this deportation order and the potential deportations of all Iraq War resisters in Canada. If Matt gets a stay, we will celebrate - but we will still be protesting the Harper Government's decision to ignore the will of the Canadian people. Let Canada not be an enforcement arm for the US military!

You may recall that the day before Matt Lowell received his deportation order, war resister Patrick Hart also received his. The Harts have been granted a temporary extension so that their six-year-old son can finish the school term. In January - unless we have secured a political solution by then - Patrick's order will go back into effect.

Toronto
Monday, October 27
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Corner of Queen Street West and University Avenue (Subway: Osgoode)

London
Monday, October 27
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Corner of Richmond & Central by Victoria Park, in downtown London

Ottawa
Monday, October 27
Vigil at 7:00 p.m.
Human Rights Monument, on Elgin Street just South of Laurier Street

You can make a secure, online donation in support of Matt's legal expenses here.

* * * *

On Monday, October 27, the Federal Court will decide whether US Iraq War resister Matt Lowell will be deported to the US, where he would face harsh punishment. Join us to show your support for Matt and the other war resisters, and to demand a halt to the deportations.

Matt, 24, has lived in London, Ontario for the past three years. He came to Canada from his home state of Michigan because he refused to take part in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Matt is a computer support worker.

Matt joined the U.S. Army in April 2002, while still in high-school. He believed that the Army was a noble institution, but changed his mind when Iraq was invaded. "The invasion of Iraq was not only immoral and wrong, but clearly illegal," he says. "I would never want to be in the position of taking an innocent life as part of an invading and occupying power."

For his decision, Matt endured harsh treatment in the US Army. If he is deported, he faces severe punishment similar to the heavy sentence imposed on Robin Long.

On June 3, Parliament voted to STOP THE DEPORTATION of war resisters. The Harper Government paid no attention. Please join us in calling on Harper to uphold the will of Parliament and of most Canadians.