[Imc-newsroom] from ontario coalition against poverty-- for headline?

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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: URGENT UPDATE: Non-status Algerian family takes refuge in Montreal
From: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty <ocap at tao.ca>
Date: Mon, October 21, 2002 9:29 pm
To: ocap at lists.tao.ca




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 03:04:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: No One Is Illegal <nooneisillegal at dojo.tao.ca>

[Please post and forward widely]

URGENT UPDATE

-- Non-status Algerian family takes refuge in Montreal church

-- Family refuses to appear for deportation at airport

[Once again, we are asking for your calls, faxes and letters of support
for Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed to Immigration Minister Denis Coderre. Please
forward this update to your networks, and please contact
nooneisillegal at tao.ca with messages of solidarity, or offers of help.
Updated and detailed information about their case is included below.
Thank you to everyone who has been able to help so far.]


MONTREAL, October 20, 2002 -- A non-status Algerian family that was
supposed to be deported by Immigration Canada earlier today has instead
taken refuge in a Montreal church. This evening, Mourad Bourouisa, Yakout
Seddiki (aka Nadia), and their 2-year old Canadian-born son, Ahmed, took
sanctuary inside the Union United Church, Quebec's oldest Black
congregation, located in the Little Burgundy neighborhood of southwest
Montreal. Church officials have offered sanctuary "indefinitely", and in
conjunction with members of the No One Is Illegal campaign, are
organizing an active campaign of political, moral and social support for
the family.

The past few days have been very difficult for Mourad and Nadia, who have
lived in Canada for 7 and 3 years respectively, and whose lives have been
torn apart. They have, to date, followed all the immigration and refugee
procedures required of them. Importantly, Nadia is 14 weeks pregnant, and
had to be hospitalized last Friday due to the stress of the imminent
deportation date. Her physician, Doctor David Morris of the Royal
Victoria Hospital, has already written a note confirming the "significant
threat to the health of Mme Seddiki and her unborn child."

Mourad and Nadia filed a "humanitarian and compassionate review" of their
case last Tuesday with the help of lawyer William Sloan, and are still
awaiting a response from Immigration Minister Denis Coderre. Moreover,
they requested at least a stay of deportation, due to Nadia's pregnancy
and sensitive health. However, Immigration officials resolutely decided
on Friday not to delay the deportation. During an unannounced visit by
several non-status Algerian men and women to Immigration Canada
headquarters in Montreal on Friday to demand answers, deportation agents
made reference to the opinion of a government doctor, although Nadia has
only ever been examined by her own physician.

Mourad and Nadia's refusal to comply with the deportation order was
officially confirmed by Immigration Canada spokesperson Robert Gervais at
Dorval Airport on Sunday afternoon. Speaking to a large press scrum, and
in the presence of members of the No One Is Illegal campaign, Gervais
commented, "The family had a legal obligation to present themselves at
Dorval, and the law will oblige an arrest warrant."

During the scrum, Gervais confirmed that Ahmed, a Canadian citizen, could
stay, but would not comment on how exactly he would be separated from his
parents, saying only, "That's up to the parents." Mourad and Nadia have
indicated clearly that they will not be separated from their son under
any circumstances.

Gervais also refused to directly answer questions alluding to the
apparent contradiction of deporting non-status Canadian residents to
Algeria while at the same time the Department of Foreign Affairs issues
travel
advisories urging Canadian citizens to avoid Algeria due to the civil
conflict there. In reference to the lifting of a moratorium on
deportations to Algeria, Gervais stated simply, "The Minister made his
decision."

The Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Denis Coderre, commented on the
issue of non-status Algerians last week, by categorically ruling out any
return of the moratorium on deportations to Algeria, and also refusing to
deal with non-status Algerians collectively. In his words, "There will
not be a general amnesty and there will also not be any en masse
deportations. However, we will continue to show compassion, and review
each case on its merits one-by-one."

To date, each case that's been judged "on its merits" has resulted in
deportation, with 32 non-status Algerians confirmed deported since April
2002.  Moreover, Mourad and Nadia, who have established strong links in
Canada, speak fluent French, and have a young Canadian child while
expecting a second, were supposed to be the 33rd and 34th non-status
deportees today. The message to non-status Algerians living in Canada is
clear, and many plan to respond accordingly.

Meanwhile, Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed, who have opted for sanctuary, are
slowly settling into an upstairs section of the Union United Church.
While the past weeks, and especially the past 24 hours, have been
uniquely difficult and fearful for the family, they now feel a certain
sense of security by taking sanctuary, although a police intervention is
still legally possible.

Earlier in the week, while discussing the possibility of becoming
technically "illegal" after seven years of residence in Canada, Mourad
declared, "It's better to stay here illegal and safe than to go back to
Algeria and become a victim." Alluding to possible detention in Canada,
Mourad added, "At least in prison you can still have your life".

Accepting the possibility of being a so-called "illegal", Nadia added, "I
fear for this kind of life, it's not stable, and I’m going to be like a
fugitive, but I'm not ashamed."


For more information about the case of Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed, please
read the backgrounder below. Importantly, we still encourage you to
contact Immigration Minister Denis Coderre in support of Mourad, Nadia
and Ahmed.

===> We strongly encourage you to phone Minister Coderre's various
offices, and to bring to the attention of senior officials the case of
Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed. Be polite, but very firm about this case, and
emphasize in particular the following points:

* Mourad and Nadia have formally asked for their deportation date to be
stayed, due to the "significant threat" to the health of Nadia and her
unborn child. On these grounds, the Minister should postpone indefinitely
any deportation date.

* Mourad and Nadia are filing a "humanitarian and compassionate review"
claim for permanent residence. The Minister should consider this claim
without delay.

* The Minister should take into account that his officials might separate
a small child, who is a Canadian citizen, from his parents in order to
carry out a removal order.

By Phone ---> Ottawa Office: 613-995-6108; Montreal Office: 514-323-1212.
Please also phone Raymond Lussier, Minister Coderre's Senior Special
Assistant, at 613-954-1064.

===> We also strongly encourage you to immediately fax or e-mail (fax is
preferred) polite but firm letters to Canadian Immigration Minister Denis
Coderre. Your letter should emphasize the points as outlined above.

Your letters should be addressed to the Honourable Denis Coderre. He can
be reached as followed (due to the urgency of this case, please use all
the fax and e-mail addresses provided):

By Fax ---> Ministry Office: 613-946-8529; Ottawa Office: 613-995-9755;
Montreal Office: 514-323-2875. Send copies of your faxes to the "Friends
of Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed" at 514-848-7450.

By E-Mail ---> Minister at cic.gc.ca, Coderd at parl.gc.ca and
Coderd1 at parl.gc.ca.  Please also e-mail Raymond Lussier at
raymond.lussier at cic.gc.ca. Send copies of your e-mail message to
montreal at tao.ca.

===> If you can offer other help, please e-mail the "Friends of Mourad,
Nadia and Ahmed" at montreal at tao.ca or phone 514-268-4079.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE CASE OF MOURAD, NADIA AND AHMED

[Note: The backgrounder below was prepared prior to the deportation date,
and prior to the taking of sanctuary by Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed after
refusing to appear for deportation on October 20.]

Mourad Bourouisa, 37, Yakout Seddiki (known to her friends as Nadia), 36,
and their 2 year-old son, Ahmed, live in a small one-bedroom apartment in
the suburb of St-Leonard on the island of Montreal. Mourad and Nadia are
expecting a second child. Nadia's 14-week pregnancy has been very
difficult due to the stress and anxiety of a potential deportation, as
well as a possible separation from Ahmed, who is a Canadian citizen. Her
physician, Doctor David Morris of the Royal Victoria Hospital, has
written, "The combined stresses of deportation and ineffective antenatal
care pose a significant threat to the health of Madame Seddiki and her
unborn child."

Mourad has lived in Canada for 7 years, while Nadia has resided here for
over 3 years. They are non-status Algerians; that is, their refugee claim
was rejected, but they were protected from deportation due to a
moratorium on removals to Algeria by the Canadian government. Immigration
Minister Denis Coderre lifted the moratorium this past April, and as a
result, hundreds of Algerians residing in Canada can now be potentially
removed.

Mourad and Nadia come from one of the most violent areas of Algiers --
Bachdjarrah -- and they are fearful for their lives and the life of their
son if returned. There have been over 150,000 deaths, and thousands of
disappearances in over a decade of civil conflict in Algeria.

Mourad and Nadia are to be deported from Canada this coming Sunday,
October 20. They are to present themselves at Montreal's Dorval Airport
at 11am. They have formally requested to Immigration Canada that their
deportation date be postponed due to the risk to Nadia's health.

Immigration officials have already told Mourad and Nadia that if they are
not able to obtain travel documents for their son Ahmed -- a Canadian
citizen who requires a visa to go to Algeria -- that he would be kept in
Canada while Mourad and Nadia would be removed without him. To date,
Mourad and Nadia have not received documents for Ahmed from the Algerian
government.

Importantly, Mourad and Nadia are making a "humanitarian and
compassionate review" claim for permanent residence, so that they can
remain with their son, and continue the lives they have made for
themselves in Canada.

Mourad and Nadia are French-speakers (Mourad also speaks English). Nadia
-- who was the director of a childcare facility for over 250 kids before
leaving Algeria -- intends to update her credentials and work as a
childcare worker here. At present, she is not allowed to study in Canada.
Mourad -- who is trained as an accountant and currently works as a taxi
driver -- intends to open a small business in Canada. Mourad has applied
for a work permit four times and has been denied each time. Ironically,
he was recently approved for a work permit on the fifth attempt, 10 days
after he received his deportation order.

Mourad and Nadia's son, Ahmed, is two years old, and he jabbers in Arabic
and French. He has learned much of his French by listening to neighbors
on his apartment's balcony. Ahmed is also suffering from the preliminary
symptoms of asthma that may require specialized care not available in
Algeria.

If Mourad and Nadia's humanitarian claim is allowed to proceed, and
judged on its merits, they stand a very strong chance of being accepted
as permanent residents, based on the links they've already established in
Canada, as well as the fact that their son is already a citizen.

While Canadian officials are trying to deport Mourad and Nadia,
Immigration Quebec officials have asked them to appear for an interview
at their offices in New York City for consideration as immigrants to
Quebec. However, the interview date is November 5, more than a week after
their scheduled deportation this coming October 20. Moreover, American
authorities have refused to issue Mourad or Nadia a travel visa to enter
the United States. Their passports have already been seized by Canadian
government authorities in anticipation of the eventual deportation.

Nadia, who was asked if she had a message for Immigration Minister Denis
Coderre, simply stated, "Be fair with us." She adds a message for the
general public, "Please, just treat us humanely."

[This urgent appeal and backgrounder has been prepared by the "Friends of
Mourad, Nadia and Ahmed", a group of Montreal-area residents who are
working with Mourad and Nadia for a just and humane response to their
situation. To help or get involved, please e-mail montreal at tao.ca.]