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Urgent Lobbying request 20 November 2007
On Tuesday, November 20th, 2007, Canada's Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) will consider a motion in support of U.S. War Resisters staying in Canada. This motion is being brought forward by NDP Member of Parliament and Immigration Critic Olivia Chow.
The motion appears to have the support of members of the Bloc Québécois and some Liberals.
We have identified two Liberal members who require our immediate focus and attention. We are asking all supporters to contact these two MPs and ask them to support this motion for a provision that will allow U.S. War Resisters to stay in Canada.
All supporters should contact these members before Tuesday, November 20th.
CALL, E-MAIL OR FAX
Hon. Maurizio Bevilacqua, M.P. Opposition Critic for Citizenship and Immigration (Liberal; Vaughan - Ontario) Telephone: (613) 996-4971 Fax: (613) 996-4973 E-mail: Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca
Hon. Jim Karygiannis, M.P. (Liberal; Scarborough--Agincourt) Telephone: (613) 992-4501 Fax: (613) 995-1612 E-mail: jim@karygiannismp.com
DON'T FORGET DION
Liberal and Opposition leader Stéphane Dion also needs to know we want a provision to allow U.S. War Resisters to stay in Canada:
Hon. Stéphane Dion, M.P. Liberal and Opposition Leader Phone: (613) 996-5789 Fax: (613) 996-6562 E-mail: Dion.S@parl.gc.ca
KEY POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT: - with the ruling of the Supreme Court, U.S. war resisters have exhausted the legal avenues open to them, and so a political solution from Parliament in the form of a provision is now necessary and urgent - in 2003, the Liberal government refused to send Canada to war in Iraq, and it was the right thing to do - in the 1960s and 70s, the Liberal government allowed between 50,000 and 80,000 Vietnam war resisters to enter and stay in Canada, and they have made a lasting positive impact on Canadian society - a recent poll showed that 64.6% of Ontario residents think war resisters should be allowed to stay in Canada; in the same poll, 71% of Liberal voters said war resisters should be allowed to stay.
Thank you for your support in this important lobbying effort. Please send reports to resisters@sympatico.ca. Peace, respect & guidance,
Oskar Castro National Youth & Militarism Program American Friends Service Committee Phone: 215.241.7046 Fax: 215.241.7177 Cell: 267.266.8745
"If you have beaten or killed an innocent person, and if there remains a shred of conscience in your heart, you will not likely avoid anguish by saying you were only following orders." Joshua Key - US Army Deserter now living in Canada
"True pacifism is not unrealistic submission to an evil power...it is rather a courageous confrontation with evil by the power of love, in the faith that it is better to be the recipient of violence than the inflictor of it, since the latter only multiplies the existence of violence and bitterness in the universe, while the former may develop a sense of shame in the opponent, and thereby bring about a transformation and change of heart." Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal." Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.myspace.com/youthandmilitarismafsc http://www.groveatlantic.com/grove/bin/wc.dll?groveproc~genauth~5230~5333~EX
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