Canada's parliament votes to grant asylum to US war resisters

[Prada]

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Canada_..._06032008.html

Parliament on Tuesday voted to allow US resisters of the Iraq war who fled to Canada to stay in this country, thus avoiding military court-martial in the United States.

The non-binding motion passed 137 to 110, with support from all three opposition parties, which hold a majority of seats in the House.

It urged the government to allow conscientious objectors "who have refused or left military service related to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations" to stay in Canada.

"Canada has always been a place which has welcomed those who seek peace and who seek freedom," opposition Liberal MP Bob Rae told reporters.

"This country should continue to recognize conscientious objectors, particularly to a war which international law has held to be illegal and which this country chose by an act of deliberate policy, chose not to join," he said.

"And if they want to choose to become Canadian, Canadian landed immigrants, they should be allowed to do so."

Canada previously welcomed tens of thousands of American draft dodgers during the Vietnam War era.

But Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board has said more recently, in a decision supported last year by the federal court, that US asylum seekers are not conventional refugees under UN High Commissioner for Refugees rules, nor in need of protection.

Accordingly, their refugee claims have been denied.

As many as 200 Iraq War resisters are said to be currently in Canada, many of them living underground.

A former US military intelligence sergeant who came to Canada in August 2006 after serving in Iraq is expected this month to be the first to be deported, said the War Resisters Support Campaign

[juicy_brucy]

Interesting. As a Canadian, it makes me ask one question out of all fairness....
What if a US soldier dodges the war efforts that the Canadians are leading in Afghanastan, and then flee's to Canada seeking refuge? I bet Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board would change their views fast, and deny them.

[juicy_brucy]

It urged the government to allow conscientious objectors "who have refused or left military service related to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations" to stay in Canada.

Then why have others been sent back for court marshaling back in '05???? Politicians are such liars.

Good post. Man, I get a lot of news from this site.

[Red Ketchup]

WTF?

I can understand the draft dodgers that came over back during the vietnam war. They were forced into the military against their will and didn't have a rich daddy to send them to College.

But what the heck is this bullshit about allowing DESERTERS in our country and letting them say? Those new so called "conscientious objectors" VOLUNTARELY SIGNED UP for service, it's their job to go do what they signed up for!

Then again, I expect no less from our Liberals, NPD and Block-heads.

Red

[zimmy]

um voluntary sign up is one thing...but you have to understand ...most of our military personel are being made to stay past the standard 4 years in iraq. There are options that the military puts in as clauses to re-activate personel adn they are utilizing them as we speak.

[IronReload04]

If their ever was a draft, for a bullshit war like vietnam or iraq, I would not be wasting my life because of some asshole politicians.

[juicy_brucy]

WTF?

I can understand the draft dodgers that came over back during the vietnam war. They were forced into the military against their will and didn't have a rich daddy to send them to College.

But what the heck is this bullshit about allowing DESERTERS in our country and letting them say? Those new so called "conscientious objectors" VOLUNTARELY SIGNED UP for service, it's their job to go do what they signed up for!

Then again, I expect no less from our Liberals, NPD and Block-heads.

Red

I am so ****ing with you on this one.

[Tock]

I am so ****ing with you on this one.

I wish someone was ****ing with me on this one . . .

[Act of God]

I love these freakin brats. "I only joined to get college money and a cool uniform to scam broads with!"

Everyone wants to play soldier, then bail when you actually have to BE one.

[DeputyLoneWolf]

^^ Exactly.