NDP pushes Ottawa to grant permanent residency to US war resisters

The federal New Democrats are calling on the Trudeau government to live up to a 2015 campaign promise to allow US war resisters to remain in Canada.

The party’s immigration critic was joined by a conscientious objector at Saturday’s announcement.

Rodney Watson has been holed up in Vancouver’s First United Church since 2009 after deserting the military in order to avoid a second tour of duty in Iraq.

Immigration Critic and Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan says he is one of a number of American war resisters who sought protection in this country.

“We have approximately 20 to 25 people or so who are here in Canada seeking refuge and we are calling on the government to act,” Kwan explains.

Kwan says Watson’s sanctuary prevents him from seeing his son.

“He’s not able to see his son go to school, take him to a baseball game, to play soccer with him, or any of those things you take for granted.”

Kwan specifically wants Immigration Minister John McCallum to rescind Operational Bulletin 202, a previous Conservative government order that classified war resisters as criminals and therefore ineligible for Canadian residency.

“We need the government to let the courts know about whether or not they intend to continue to pursue war resisters and to deal with them as if they’re criminals.”

Last month, an online Insights West poll found more than 60 per cent of Canadians agree with allowing permanent residency to US war resisters.

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