[antiwar-van] UPDATE #13: Important Victories in Alison Bodine Defence Campaign

[Kira Koshelanyk]

Alison Bodine Defence Committee
UPDATE #13 – Friday September 28, 2007

Sept 28th: The First Day of Tribunal Brings Important Victories for the Alison Bodine Defence Campaign!

Early Friday morning, September 28, 2007, Alison Bodine arrived at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office in downtown Vancouver for her Admissibility Hearing. Alison is a well-known social justice activist in Vancouver and a central organizer and spokesperson with Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO). She was recently targeted as a political activist and arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency when trying to legally cross the border back into the United States where she is a citizen.

On Friday morning, Alison was greeted by over 80 supporters when she arrived at the CIC offices, as well as newspaper, radio and television reporters, from CBC news, Radio-Canada, and 24 Hours newspaper among others. Alison spoke to the media briefly before heading upstairs. In her statement she emphasized that she, her lawyer, and the hundreds of people who have joined her defence campaign are all very confident that they will win the legal battle against her illegal, unjust and politically-motivated arrest. Before walking through the entrance of the building, Alison held up a thick stack of papers and announced that she was holding more than 1,200 petition signatures of people demanding "Drop All Charges Against Alison Bodine!" – all of which were collected in less than one week!

Nearly 40 supporters packed the hearing room, spilling over into a second room with video link of the proceeding. Dozens more stayed outside holding signs with the unrelenting demand to "Drop All Charges Against Alison Bodine!"

The fight on Sept 28th in the courtroom was brief, but it brought important advances for the Alison Bodine Defence Campaign. After a week of battling for access to more evidence, Alison's lawyer Gabriel Chand, was finally granted the right to get access to any existing initial notes written by the border guards that questioned Alison. In addition, he was finally given the full disclosure. This was an important step forward, as the CBSA prosecuting lawyer tried to argue with Chand's request, but ultimately failed to prevent the right to access this evidence. Due to the introduction of new evidence, the hearing was then adjourned until October 11, 2007 at 11am.

For the Alison Bodine Defence Committee, the campaign will continue with mobilization and education in defence of the democratic and human rights of immigrants, refugees, non-residents and social-justice activists. The morning of the hearing brought with it support letters from the MLA David Chudnovsky and the US-based Pastors for Peace/Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization in addition to those from MPs Libby Davies and Bill Siksay, the Hospital Employees Union of BC and the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators.

The next event in the campaign to have all charges against Alison dropped will be:

"Drop All Charges Against Alison Bodine! What is Next in this Case?"
Post-Hearing PUBLIC FORUM
Saturday, Sept 29
7:30PM
SFU Harbour Center (515 W Hastings @Seymour)

Co-sponsored by: SFU MAWO Club and the Alison Bodine Defence Committee


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