6.25.2009

we dog jason kenney all over the globe

You may recall that Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration - a/k/a Minister of Censorship and Deportation - was having trouble avoiding members of the War Resisters Support Campaign. It seemed like he couldn't turn around without tripping over a protest.

Mr Kenney appeared at an event in Mississauga: we were there.

Mr Kenney appeared in Toronto: we were there, and there.

Later that week, he appeared in Barrie: we were there.

That's about the time when the Ministry stopped announcing his whereabouts.

No matter. He appeared in Calgary: we were there.

And again in Toronto: there is no escape.

Are you ready for this? Yesterday Jason Kenney appeared in Oslo, Norway. And guess what?

From the Ministry's media release:
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney leaves tomorrow for an official visit to continental Europe and the United Kingdom. The Minister's agenda in Europe will include travel to Norway, Hungary, the Czech Republic and France, where he will represent the Government of Canada and Prime Minister Stephen Harper at various commemorative events on the Holocaust and the evils of communism.

While in Oslo, Norway, on June 24, the Minister will represent the Government of Canada at a major conference hosted by the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF), where Canada is expected to achieve full membership status.

"Our Government has taken steps to achieve full membership in the Holocaust Task Force," said Minister Kenney. "We will continue to promote the fundamental Canadian values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, while also promoting Holocaust education and combating anti-Semitism in all its forms."

During the remainder of the trip, the Minister will meet with senior government officials, pay his respects at various memorial and historical sites commemorating the Holocaust and the evils of communism, and continue to highlight Canada's ongoing commitment to combat anti-Semitism.

[An aside: the evils of communism?? What decade is this?]

And from the Campaign's media release:
Minister Kenney's office has announced that the minister will attend a conference hosted by the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF) in Oslo to seek full membership status on behalf of the Government of Canada.

"While the Canadian government is to be lauded for finally and formally recognising its historical failure to protect refugees from crimes against humanity, the current government is failing to protect refugees who are refusing to commit crimes against humanity in Iraq," said Dr. Patricia Molloy, a Canadian university professor and War Resisters Support Campaign activist who will be participating in the demonstration. "The majority of Canadians and Parliament agree that the deportation of even one more Iraq War resister would be too many. Minister Jason Kenney must act now to stop the deportations of Iraq War resisters to show that the Government of Canada isn't just paying lip service to the Geneva Conventions."

And an excerpt from an email from the intrepid Dr. Molloy (a/k/a NCF!).

First a few protesters stood outside the hotel where Kenney was speaking, holding placards. Then she writes:
I went over with my hand outstretched and introduced myself: "Mr. Kenney, I'm Patricia Molloy with the War Resisters Support Campaign in Toronto."

He didn't miss a beat. Oh, hi, how are you. Weclome to Oslo. What brings you here?

So, I said, actually I'd like to ask you a question. And then I said I want to first thank and congratulate him for what he's doing here today, that I applaud Canada's recognition of our historical failure to protect Jewish refugees.... you know the rest.... and my question is: why are you continuing to deport refugees who refuse to commit crimes against humanity etc etc.

He gave his usual spiel: that no refugees are deported, but once someone's refugee claim is turned down they have to obey the law, they're no longer refugees at that point so no refugees are ever deported from Canada.

Nice. Twas the usual, there's a process in place, there's the IRB, the courts etc etc. So I brought up the two parliamentary motions. He says they're nonbinding, so I say but they represent the will of the Canadian public who overwhelmingly support letting the resisters stay in Canada and as immigration minister you have the power to implement the motion. etc etc.

His cohorts meanwhile are taking all this in. I managed to get quite a bit in before a security came over and said that the presentations were about to start and that I'd have to move along. ...

He'll no doubt get wind that there were protesters... I got in his face and embarrassed him, very politely and astutely, in a foreign country, and I'll be interviewed tomorrow for a local paper with a large readership (and apparently read by journalists). ...

Mr. Kenney, there is no escape!

My friends, although we can't all follow Jason Kenney up close and personal, each one of us can email him and call his office. We can all deliver the message loud and clear:

STOP DEPORTING U.S. WAR RESISTERS! IMPLEMENT THE MOTION TO LET THEM STAY!

Constituency Office: 403.225.3480

Ottawa Office: 613.992.2235

Email: kennej@parl.gc.ca

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