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SAMPLE
LETTER of Support for Wendy MAxwell
[**please note that it is preferable to have original personalized letters
from different organizations, however, given the timeline feel free
to
use or draw from this sample letter**]
SEND LETTERS TO:
In Toronto: (416)781-5586 (fax)
In Ottawa: (613)992-9791 (fax)
Email: Minister@cic.gc.ca
Minister Volpe,
Our organization is writing you out of grave concern regarding the case of
Wendy Maxwell. We have been informed that Ms. Maxwell was arrested on an
Immigration violation while selling cookies as a community fundraiser at
an International Women's Day rally at Ryerson University in Toronto
on
Saturday March 5th. She is now being held at the Vanier Centre for
Women
and we understand that she could be deported to her native Costa
Rica at
any time, despite having an outstanding Humanitarian and
Compassionate
Application for permanent resident's status.
As Minister of Citizenship and Immigration we strongly urge to use your
legal authority to grant Ms. Maxwell a Temporary Resident's Permit
so
that she may remain in Canada legally until her Humanitarian and
Compassionate application is adjudicated.
Ms. Maxwell is a highly respected community activist who has worked with
countless social organizations during her 7 years in Canada. With Street
Light Support Services she gave workshops to help women in their
transition out of the sex trade industry. She collaborated with the
Latin
American Coalition to end Violence Against Women (LACEV now known as
MUJER) to develop a similar project. She volunteered her free time
at the
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic at the Ralph Thornton Community
Centre, and with the Black Coalition for Aids Prevention (BlackCAP).
She
is a programmer and co-host of a community radio show as a part of a
collective of Latin-American women called Sembradoras on CKLN 88.1.
She
also co-wrote a book in collaboration with McGill University for the
Canadian Aids Society (CAS).
We also understand that Ms. Maxwell fears greatly for her safety if
returned to Costa Rica. As a Black, bisexual woman she fears the
Costa
Rican police whose racial profiling and homophobia are well
documented.
She was sexually assaulted by the police while living in Costa Rica.
Added to this, she fears violence from a Costa Rican gang which she
has
had dealings with in the past, and, understandably, she fears the
police
will not adequately protect her. Ms. Maxwell is still coping with
Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (documented by Psychologists at the
Toronto
Rape Crisis Centre and other clinics) due to the abuse she
experienced in
Costa Rica. We are deeply concerned about the impact of forcing her
to
return to there.
We are deeply concerned with the collaboration between Immigration Canada
and the Toronto Police evident in her arrest. We find it
unacceptable for
the Immigration Ministry to use municipal police to target
non-status
people, whom we do not feel are dangers to our community simply
because
they are amongst the tens of thousands of Immigrants who have not
been
granted legal status in Canada. It is particularly troubling that
Ms.
Maxwell was targeted at an International Women's Day event. On a day
geared towards ending violence and discrimination against women
internationally, it is a cruel irony that a woman so deeply
committed to
the struggle for human rights was targeted by your Ministry for
detention
and deportation to a country where she fears gender, racial, and
sexuality-based persecution.
We sincerely hope that as Minister you will act with conscience in Ms.
Maxwell's case and grant her a Temporary Resident's Permit to remain in
Canada while her claim is adjudicated. We also strongly encourage
you to
commit to dealing equitably and honourably with the broader issue of
the
tens of thousands of non-status people living in Canada.
Sincerely,
For more information:
http://www.supportwendy.com
Solidarity Across Borders:
noii-montreal@resist.ca
514-859-9023 |
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