[van-announce] EMERGENCY ACTIONS FOR LAIBAR SINGH

[mia amir]

*** Please forward widely

Today at 4:55pm CBSA Notified Laibar Singh that he is going to be deported
Wednesday, January 9th 2008 At 4:30AM.

Laibar Singh has been at the Surrey Guru Nanak Sikh Temple since December
15th


URGENT ACTIONS:

1. We are meeting at the Surrey Gurudwara at 4:00AM - Join us if you can.
Call: 778-999-9219 or 604-779-7430 for more information (see below for
directions)

2. VANCOUVER SUPPORT RALLY:
Tuesday, January 9th At 3PM
Citizenship Immigration Canada
300 West Georgia Street At Hamilton

"As a compassionate people Canadians should embrace Mr. Singh and not deport
an individual who has the support
of thousands of Canadians, trade unionists, disability advocates, and
community organizations. He is a paraplegic man
 who needs our support and needs medical treatment and not immigration
enforcement"
 -- Fred Muzin, President of the Hospital Employees Union

"In a deliberate attempt to thwart public outcry and support, the Canadian
Border Service Agency provided Laibar Singh
and his legal counsel with less than ten hours notice. The decision to
deport him at this absurd hour in the morning is
malicious and under-handed"
-- Harjap Grewal of No One Is Illegal

For more information:
www.supportlaibar.blogspot.org
www.noii-van at resist.ca

**Directions to this morning's action:
take Knight Street
#91 East Surrey/Delta - over the Alex Fraser...
Take left exit 72nd Avenue
72nd to Scott Road
Right on Scott Road
Left in Surrey Temple Parking Lot (7050, 120th)


***
BRIEF HISTORY:

Mr.. Laibar Singh came to Canada in 2003 and his refugee claim has been
rejected based mostly on minor inconsistencies. Mr. Singh suffered from an
aneurysm in August 2006 that left him paralyzed and unable to feed himself.
Prior to suffering from his aneurysm, Mr. Singh worked as a labourer. He
received his first deportation order for July 8, 2007 but took sanctuary on
July 7, 2007 in the Abbotsford Sahib Kalgidhar Darbar Gurudwara. While in
sanctuary, Mr. Singh's health deteriorated and he had to be hospitalized. On
Monday August 13, while in the hospital, Abbottsford police and Canadian
Border Services Agency officers detained Mr. Laibar Singh. Due to immense
community and political pressure, Mr. Singh was granted a 60-day stay first
on August 20th and then another stay on October 20th 2007, pending a
decision on his humanitarian and compassionate claim.

His humanitarian and compassionate claim was refused in November 2007,
rendered largely on the basis that he 'does not have significant ties to
Canada`. This is clearly a false assessment and one that appears to be
motivated by the politics of the Conservative party rather than any real
consideration of the facts, which includes over 40,000 petition signatures
that were presented to Parliament in October 2007.

Laibar Singh was due to be deported on December 10, however, upwards to 1500
of Singh's supporters rallied at the airport prior to his deportation, and
peacefully blocked the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) officials from
getting to the taxi where Singh was waiting.