[IPSM] !: An important appeal for funds from Solidarity Across Borders and No One Is Illegal-Montreal

[No One Is Illegal Montreal]

Dear Friends and Allies --

We are writing to make an appeal for funds to help the ongoing
casework and campaigns supported by No One Is Illegal in Montreal.
Your donation of $10, $20, $50 or more is urgently needed in the
coming weeks.

As you know, our main priority right now is supporting the upcoming
"No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa" between June 18-25, organized by
the Solidarity Across Borders network. We are actively supporting this
march and helping with fundraising.

One major part of the Solidarity Across Borders fundraising effort is
the "250x$50" plan; that is, we're seeking 250 individuals or groups
that can donate $50 each. If we are able to meet this goal, a large
portion of the funds needed for the March on Ottawa this June will be
met.

But, while we organize to march on Ottawa to demand the regularization
of all non-status persons, we are also continuing our support of
specific migrant cases.

At present, we are highlighting, and raising funds, for three
particularly urgent cases, two of which involve children:

1) The first case concerns a non-status Algerian mother who has five
Canadian-born children. She has lived in Montreal for 12 years, but
has yet to gain status. We have recently intervened to offer active
and sustained childcare support to this family, so that the mother can
work to help support her family, organize on her case and attend
meetings, and just plain have a break! There are several local
activists offering childcare almost daily. While most of the childcare
is on a volunteer basis, at least some of this childcare must be paid,
to help sustain this valuable support. We are currently trying to
raise $1500 to help reimburse the individuals who have been doing
childcare -- up to ten hours a day -- daily for the past three months.

2) The second case has just recently come to the attention of
activists within No One Is Illegal and Solidarity Across Borders: a
non-status family -- husband, wife and seven children -- who have
lived in Montreal for 3 years. This family has a strong chance to stay
within Canada, if they make a Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds
claim ("H&C"). However, Canadian immigration regulations force
humanitarian claim recipients to pay $550 per adult, and $150 per
child. The family has 3 adult children, and 4 minors, which means they
need to raise at least $3000 to even make a claim to stay.

3) Finally, an active member of No One Is Illegal, and a key organizer
with Solidarity Across Borders -- a refugee claimant from Egypt --
needs to also make a Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds claim to
stay in Canada. We are trying to raise $550 for his case.

Again, we call on your support for both the Solidarity Across Borders
March, and the various cases cited above.

--> If you can contribute to the 250x$50 plan for the Solidarity
Across Borders March on Ottawa, write a cheque in the name of
"Solidarité sans frontières" with "250x50" in the memo line.

--> If you can help support the casework of No One Is Illegal, write a
cheque in the name of "No One Is Illegal-Montreal" with "casework" in
the memo line. Any casework donation will be used to support the
specific cases cited above.

All cheques can be mailed to the following address:

Solidarity Across Borders/No One Is Illegal
c/o QPIRG-Concordia
1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 1N1 CANADA

Please e-mail noii-montreal at resist.ca if you are sending a donation.

Thanks again for your solidarity and support.

In struggle,
No One Is Illegal-Montreal

---
No One Is Illegal
514-859-9023
noii-montreal at resist.ca

Solidarity Across Borders
514-859-9023
sansfrontieres at resist.ca
http://www.solidarityacrossborders.org