[antiwar-van] NEWS/ EVENTS

[No One is Illegal-Vancouver]

NEWS AND EVENTS

1) Halloween Sutikah & Skwelkwek'welt Legal Defense Fundraiser: Oct 31 2)
Confronting Neoliberalism in Argentina: Nov 4
3) Three simple things to support Mohamed Cherfi
4) Refugee claim statistics 2004


Trick or Treaty
Halloween Legal Defense Benefit Dance
Oct 31 Sunday
6 pm – 12:00
Aboriginal Friendship Centre
MC’D By Scott Reece
Proceeds to be shared with Sutikah & Secwepemec Title & Rights Defenders

Q&As:
Debbie Krull
604.518.4392

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Confronting Neo-liberalism in Argentina: Voices of Resistance
A puppet show and presentation by the Argentina Autonomista Project
7:00 pm - Thursday, November 4
Main Auditorium - Britannia Community Centre
1661 Napier St. (1 block west off Napier and Commercial)
FREE (donations welcome)

Grassroots organizers will speak on the powerful social movements that
have risen in response to Argentina’s political and economic crisis,
forcing the resignation of three presidents, ending the undisputed reign
of neo-liberal economics and media-manipulated politics, and giving birth
to neighbourhood assemblies, unemployed workers movements, and
worker-controlled factories.

* Soledad Bordegaray
organizer of the piquetero group Movimiento de Trabajadores Desocupados
(unemployed workers movement) of La Matanza, Buenos Aires

* Claudia Acuña
investigative journalist and member of La Vaca, a news agency specialized
in covering different movements in Argentina, including grassroots
unionism, piqueteros, factories run by their workers,
neighbourhood assemblies, peasants, indigenous peoples collectives, and
human rights groups

* Graciela Monteagudo
activist, puppeteer, performer, writer, and co-ordinator of the Argentina
Autonomista Project.
Graciela will perform the puppet show “¡Que se vayan todos!” (“All of them
must go!”)

For more information contact Sebastián Touza -
LSTOUZA at SFU.CA - (604) 298-6522

Argentina Autonomista Project:
http://www.autonomista.org

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TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR MOHAMED!

Mohamed Cherfi, Algerian non-status and activist for refugee rights, was
dragged out of sanctuary from a church in Quebec city in March, for the
first time in recent Canadian history, and deported to the US.

On October 22, U.S. Immigration refused Mohamed Cherfi's refugee claim,
which happens in 95% of cases there. The solution for averting Mohamed's
deportation to Algeria is now in the hands of the Canadian authorities.
His situation of distress, accentuated by 8 months in prison, has lasted
long enough! The United States' refusal has increased the pressure on
Mohamed; time's running out and the threat of deportation looms larger! It
would be unacceptable for a country that claims to respect human rights to
inflict more suffering on him.

THERE'S A SOLUTION FOR MOHAMED!

Under a humanitarian immigration program for people outside Canada, five
Quebec City residents filed an application for group sponsorship of
Mohamed to enable him to obtain a right of residence in Canada. However,
this solution means that the file must be processed rapidly, before the
United States deports him.

THREE SIMPLE THINGS TO DO IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS TO GET OTTAWA TO TAKE
ACTION!

1- Call Minister of Immigration Judy Sgro. The message is simple: Time's
running out! The Canadian government must fast-track the processing of
Mohamed's file. We know they have the power.

Judy Sgro
Fax: (613) 957-2688
Tel.: (613) 992-7774
E-mail: minister at cic.gc.ca et Sgro.J at parl.gc.ca

2- Call your federal M.P. and tell him/her you are concerned about the
Cherfi case. Ask your M.P. to contact Judy Sgro to inform her that his/her
voters:
-have reacted strongly to the United States's refusal to accept Mohamed
Cherfi as a refugee; and that they
-demand that Mohamed's file be handled without delay.

3- Send a new postcard to the Canadian Immigration Minister to show her
you support Mohamed Cherfi's application. You'll find it at the following
address: http://mohamedcherfi.org/IMG/pdf/Deuxieme_carte_-_anglo.pdf  Over
250 organizations and public figures, as well as thousands of other
people, have already shown their support in one way or another.

IT'S NOT OVER, MOHAMED'S LIFE IS AT STAKE!
Comité de solidarité avec Mohamed Cherfi
Tel.: 418-262-0144
Email: solimo2004 at yahoo.fr

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from CCR-

Refugee claim statistics, three-quarters year 2004

The following are statistics on refugee claims made, January to September
2004.  The source for the statistics is Citizenship and Immigration
Canada.

Total number of claims: 18,201

In the last three months, the numbers of claims made have gone up
slightly, compared to the very low numbers in the preceding months.  If
claims continue at the current rate, we can expect 24,268 for the 2004
year (up slightly from the 23,516 projection at the end of June.  In 2003
there were a total of 31,837 claims.)

54% of claims were made inland
32% of claims were made at the US-Canada border
14% of claims were made at an airport

Region where claims made:
71% in Ontario
21% in Québec
5% in BC
2% in Prairies

Top CIC offices where claims made:
Etobicoke - 32% of all claims
Fort Erie Peace Bridge - 21% of all claims
Montreal inland - 11% of all claims
Pearson Int’l Airport - 8% of all claims
Lacolle - 5% of all claims
Trudeau Airport (Dorval) - 4% of all claims
Windsor Ambassador Bridge - 4% of all claims
Vancouver admissions - 3% of all claims
(These CIC offices represent 88% of the total claims)

154 claims were found ineligible (less than 1% of all claims)

In 16 cases, consideration of eligibility was suspended.

Top 10 countries of citizenship:
Colombia 2,305 (13% of claims)
Mexico  2,046 (11% of claims)
China, People's Republic of  1,401 (8% of claims)
Sri Lanka   865  (5% of claims)
India   739 (4% of claims)
Pakistan  615 (3% of claims)
Costa Rica  603 (3% of claims)
United States of America  473 (3% of claims)*
Nigeria   422 (2% of claims)
Peru   358 (2% of claims)

The top 10 countries represent 54% of all claims

* Note that a large proportion of the claims from US citizens are likely
the young children of claimants of claimants who had been in the US before
making a claim in Canada.


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The No One is Illegal campaign is in full confrontation with Canadian
colonial border policies, denouncing and taking action to combat racial
profiling of immigrants and refugees, detention and deportation policies,
and wage-slave conditions of migrant workers and non-status people.

We struggle for the right for our communities to maintain their
livelihoods and resist war, occupation and displacement, while building
alliances and supporting indigenous sisters and brothers also fighting
theft of land and displacement.