[antiwar-van] Update #24: Antiwar Activist Alison Bodine Forced to Leave Canada!

[Kira Koshelanyk]

CASE UPDATE #24 - ALISON BODINE DEFENCE COMMITTEE
http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com | defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com
778.891.1470 | 778.882.5223 | 604.339.7103

Sunday November 18, 2007

ANTIWAR & SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST ALISON BODINE FORCED TO LEAVE CANADA!

ALISON BODINE DEFENCE COMMITTEE LAUNCHES BROAD CAMPAIGN TO LIFT THE BAN!

Near midnight on Saturday, November 17, anti-war and social justice activist Alison Bodine was forced to leave Canada under the terms of an exclusion order and two-year ban from Canada issued by the Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Over two months ago, Alison was targeted and harassed as a political activist after Canada Border Services agents found anti-war and social justice materials in her car. The political targeting continued when she attempted to exit Canada on September 13th and was arrested by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Currently Alison Bodine is Co-chair, executive committee member and spokesperson of Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) in Vancouver, BC. Her hearing on the false and unjust charge of ‘misrepresentation’ took place on October 11th. On October 31st, the decision was released, ordering her to leave Canada by November 17th and imposing the 2-year ban from the country.

On Saturday night, around 70 supporters and organizers with the Alison Bodine Defence Committee (ABDC) gathered in Vancouver and caravanned to the Peace Arch border crossing for an energetic solidarity send-off. Alison spoke, thanking everyone for their support and vowing to continue organizing together to lift the ban, despite being across the border from each other.  Alison declared that this was the beginning of the new campaign to lift the 2-year ban from Canada which will include both legal and political means to achieve the goal.

CBC TV covered the border send-off, interviewing Alison and filming as she said goodbye to her friends and supporters. The interview aired on CBC TV news on November 17th. CKNW radio also interviewed Alison before crossing the border and again once she crossed into the US. She reported to them on her experience at the border crossing and the continuation of the Alison Bodine Defence Campaign while she is in the US.

A new stage of the struggle has been opened. Legally, Alison is appealing to overturn the October 31st decision by taking her case to the Federal Court of Canada. A massive political campaign has begun with the November 18th launch of the ABDC campaign demanding "LIFT THE BAN AGAINST ALISON BODINE!". The defence committee will continue organizing and campaigning along with Alison while she is in the US so she can regain her right to travel freely across the US-Canada border.

The Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Diane Finley can intervene and lift the ban at any time and the ABDC campaign will appeal to her to take action. The ABDC will collect tens of thousands of petition signatures and letters to expand the support for Alison's case broader and wider than ever before! The ABDC will also approach more MPs, MLAs, laywers, prominent individuals, academics, labour unions, student unions and grassroots organizations to add to the many who have already signed on in her defence. The ABDC will organize campus and city-wide forums in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, legal defence fundraisers and petition drives to increase awareness and support for the case. The ABDC will fight until the Federal Court or Minister Finley reverses this injustice.

Achieving the demand of "LIFT THE 2 YEAR BAN" will effectively negate the original charges against Alison and will ultimately mean a victory against the political frame-up that began more than two  months ago. With the ban is lifted, Alison will finally have her full rights to travel between the US and Canada restored.

We believe that it doesn't matter what side of the 49th parallel Alison is on, this fight for civil liberties will continue until achieving victory. Reversing the exclusion order and the 2 year ban will be a step forward in the struggle to stop the government of Canada from carrying out their agenda to silence and intimidate anti-war and social justice activists. Over the next days, weeks and months the Alison Bodine Defence Committee will keep organizing and fighting in defence of the civil liberties for all people especially those who are fighting for justice, humanity and a better world.


*JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!* SEND A LETTER DEMANDING:
"Lift the Ban Against Peace Activist Alison Bodine! Stop the Harassment and Targeting of Antiwar Activists!"

>>>Address your letter to:
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Email: finley.d at parl.gc.ca
Fax:(613) 996-9749
Email a copy to: defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com

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FOR MORE UPDATES VISIT:
http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com
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