Canada's New Immigration Policy Raises Red FlagsHarrison Chastangbyline‚ Jun. 13‚ 2007This week the sounds of “O Canada” will ring in San Francisco as our friends from the north, the Toronto Blue Jays make their first appearance at San Francisco’s AT&T Park for interleague play. While many Americans see our neighbors to the north as a liberal extension of the United States, the Maple Leaf country is becoming more like the United States concerning who can enter Canada. As part of the United States inspired “war on terror” Canada now “goes by the book” in regard to enforcing laws concerning entry into Canada. People convicted of any crime other than traffic violations can be declared “criminally inadmissible” and turned away at the border or airport. Canada Immigration and Customs (CIC) officials have the authority to turn away Americans with any criminal history, regardless of how long those convictions occurred, or the context of those arrests. Under the Canadian immigration policies that have been implemented since the current Conservative Party government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper was elected in 2006, Americans have been turned away at the Canadian border for 20 year old marijuana convictions, 30 year old shoplifting charges and decades old DUI convictions. Canada’s immigration policies could prevent Rev. Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte and Tom Hayden from entering Canada for arrests that occurred during non-violent Civil Rights, Vietnam War and Apartheid protests. |