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| Actions to
Support Wendy Maxwell |
- Solidarity Across Borders
denounces the arrest of Wendy Maxwell
-- Montreal-area coalition demands immediate release and residency for
Toronto-area refugee and activist
[NOTE: Members of Solidarity Across Borders will be delivering a letter to
officials at Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in Montreal this
coming Monday, March 14. We will be gathering across from 1010
St-Antoine
West (near metro Bonaventure) at 10am sharp before going inside to
deliver our letter and to ask to speak to senior CIC officials.]
For immediate release
March 11, 2005, Montreal
Solidarity Across Borders, a Montreal-area coalition of self-organized
refugee groups and their allies, unequivocally denounces the recent
arrest and detention of Toronto community activist Wendy Maxwell at
an
International Women's Day event at Ryerson University. At a
Solidarity
Across Borders organizing assembly this past Friday, we learned the
shocking details of Wendy's arrest and detention, and we
unreservedly
send our collective message of solidarity and support to Wendy, and
her
friends and supporters.
We support the demand that Wendy Maxwell be granted a Temporary Resident's
Permit so that she can remain in Canada legally until her application to
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for status on humanitarian and
compassionate grounds, and that she be released from detention
immediately. Moreover, we denounce the collaboration between Toronto
Police and CIC to carry out Immigration's racist and violent work at an
international event directly aimed at fighting against oppression and
violence against women.
Members of Solidarity Across Borders will deliver a letter to the offices
of Immigration Canada in Montreal this Monday, the same date that
Wendy
is scheduled to be deported from Canada. We are also strongly
encouraging
faxes and phone calls to Immigration Minister Joe Volpe, and removal
officer Martin Kosichek. These two officials can stop Wendy
Maxwell's
deportation NOW, and they need to hear from us (don't hesitate to
call,
even on the weekend):
Immigration Minister (Joe Volpe):
Toronto: (416) 781-5583 (phone)
(416) 781-5586 (fax)
Ottawa: (613) 992-6361 (phone)
(613) 992-9791 (fax)
Removal Officer (Martin Kosichek):
(905) 405-3630 (phone)
(905) 405-3529 (fax)
*** Concerned persons in the Montreal-area are also encouraged to join the
delegation visit to CIC to deliver a letter denouncing Wendy's arrest,
and demanding her release and landing. We will be meeting at 1010
St-Antoine West (near metro Bonaventure).
More info about Wendy Maxwell's case, including a sample letter, is
attached below.
Wendy's arrest and detention recalled injustices to people close to the
Solidarity Across Borders network. This past November 2004, Palestinian
refugee Ahmed Nafaa was deported after his arrest by guards on
Montreal's
metro. Mohamed Cherfi, an active member of the Action Committee of
Non-Status Algerians, was also deported to the United States after
his
sanctuary in a Quebec City church was violated last March 2004.
Mohamed
remains in detention in the USA. The members of Solidarity Across
Borders
are close to dozens and dozens of others who live the anxiety and
injustice of being "non-status" or "illegal".
Solidarity Across Borders brings together self-organized refugee groups
and their allies. Solidarity Across Borders members include: The
Support
Committee for Basque Political Prisoners, the No One is Illegal
Campaign
in Montreal, The Justice Coalition for Adil Charkaoui, the Immigrant
Worker Centre, the Catholic Congolese Community of Montreal, Action
for
Colombia, the Human Rights Action Committee, the Non-Status Algerian
Action Committee, the Coalition Against the Deportation of
Palestinian
Refugees, the South Asian Women's Community Centre, Voices of
Ancestors
and more.
Our four main demands are: 1) The regularization of all non-status people
residing in Canada; 2) The abolition of security certificates; 3) An end
to deportations; 4) An end to the detention of migrants.
Our thoughts are with Wendy Maxwell and her supporters as they continue to
mobilize to prevent her deportation. And, our actions in the coming
months will be focused on preventing any more unjust detentions and
deportations, and for the immediate regularization of all so-called
"illegal" and "non-status" persons living in our
communities.
In struggle and in solidarity,
The members of Solidarity Across Borders (over 30 members in attendance at
our assembly of March 11, 2005 in Montreal)
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DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE DEPORTATION OF WENDY MAXWELL
Saturday March 12th
Meet at 1pm Bathurst Station on the streetcar platform
We’ll be taking the bus north to Lawrence and Bathurst.
To Joe Volpe’s constituency office for 2pm
On Friday March 11th Wendy’s Federal court hearing to stay her
deportation
ended with a negative decision and now the decision to stop this
deportation is in Volpe’s hands.
Join the Wendy Maxwell Support Committee and speakers from women’s
rights
organizations, unions, immigrant’s rights groups, the Don’t Ask,
Don’t
Tell campaign and others to demand Wendy’s release and the granting of
permanent residency to this highly respected and well loved community
activist.
This will be followed by a dinner and organizing meeting at
The Imperial Pub
6pm Saturday March 12th
Located on Dundas St East, just east of Yonge St
Now more than ever it is crucial to make phone calls and write letters
of
support and letters to minister volpe. To send a letter or make a phone
cal to the minister go to www.supportwendy.com for more information.
For more information or to make a donation contact the Wendy Maxwell
Support Committee:
nooneisillegal@riseup.net
www.supportwendy.com
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Fri, March 11 -
MEETING WITH VOLPE'S SENIOR CONSTITUENCY ASSISTANT REGARDING WENDY MAXWELL
Today at 3:30pm prominent community members working with the Wendy Maxwell
Support Committee are meeting with Joe Volpe's senior constituency
assistant. This meeting was authorized by the chief of staff in Ottawa.
We will keep you posted with any further news.
Please keep the pressure on the minister and continue to call in:
Immigration Minister (Joe Volpe):
Toronto: (416) 781-5583 (phone)
(416) 781-5586
(fax)
Ottawa: (613) 992-6361 (phone)
(613) 992-9791
(fax)
Removal Officer (Martin Kosichek):
(905) 405-3630
(phone)
(905) 405-3529
(fax)
Ask that Joe Volpe use his discretion to grant a Temporary Resident's
Permit so that she can remain in Canada legally until her application to
CIC for status on humanitarian and compassionate grounds can be heard,
that she be released from detention immediately.
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Fri, March 11 -
SUPPORT HUNGER STRIKE IN SOLIDARITY WITH WENDY MAXWELL
ARRESTED AT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
SET TO BE DEPORTED ON MONDAY MARCH 14
A group of seven supporters began a hunger strike in solidarity with Wendy
Maxwell yesterday where she was arrested at an Int'l Women's Day event
(March 5th) at Ryerson by 51 Division.
Wendy Maxwell is facing deportation to Costa Rica, where she faces serious
risk for being targetted by a dangerous Costa Rican gang, and homophobic
and racist police.
PLEASE, JOIN THE STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT WENDY MAXWELL
YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED!
- Please stand in solidarity with those on hunger strike. A visible
presence from community, activists, workers, and students is crucial.
The hunger strike is taking place at Ryerson's Jorgenson Hall
350 Victoria St. (Victoria & Gould, East of Yonge, North of Dundas)
http://supportwendy.com/hungerstrike
FRIDAY (Today):
- Leafleting
- Speak outs all day
SATURDAY:
12-2pm – banner making (Bring banners, art supplies, etc.)
2-4pm - Forum: Ryerson supports Wendy
4-6pm – Trade unions and immigrant and refugee rights We invite
all women’s
groups, queer rights groups, and immigrant
and refugee groups
to bring their displays and set up
a fair
SUNDAY:
12-6pm – Coffee House: We invite all musicians, poets, dancers and
performers to come
down and join us.
- Please phone and fax the Immigration Minister and the Removal Officer
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! (because the closer it gets to the deportation
date, the lower the chances are for intervention). Call TODAY before
3pm and keep up the pressure until Monday.
Immigration Minister (Joe Volpe):
Toronto: (416) 781-5583 (phone)
(416) 781-5586
(fax)
Ottawa: (613) 992-6361 (phone)
(613) 992-9791
(fax)
Removal Officer (Martin Kosichek):
(905) 405-3630
(phone)
(905) 405-3529
(fax)
Ask that Joe Volpe use his discretion to granted Temporary Resident's
Permit so that she can remain in Canada legally until her application to
CIC for status on humanitarian and compassionate grounds can be
heard,
that she be released from detention immediately, and that he denounce
the collaboration between Toronto Police and CIC to carry out
Immigration's racist and violent work at an International event
directly
aimed at fighting against oppression and violence against women.
- Please check http://ocap.ca/wendy
and http://supportwendy.com
frequently to follow developments and ways to support Wendy Maxwell.
Bring friends or family to Jorgenson Hall today (Friday) or over the
weekend, morning, afternoon or evening! Feel free to bring art
supplies, banners, etc.
Wendy Maxwell was forced "underground" last year after
Immigration Canada
determined that she would not be at risk if deported and ordered her to
fly back to Costa Rica on December 1, 2003.
Wendy Maxwell (aka Nzinga) has worked tirelessly in the community as a
volunteer at CKLN 88.1 FM Community Radio. She has also worked with
the
Latin American Coalition to end Violence Against Women (now called MUJER),
the Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, the Ralph Thornton Community
Centre as a network administrator's assistant, the Global African
Congress, and as an outreach worker with the Black Coalition for Aids
Prevention (BlackCAP). Her work is also being published in "A New
Look at
Heterosexism and Homophobia" being put out in collaboration with the
McGill University for the Canadian Aids Society. She has been employed
through out her 6 years in Canada.
http://supportwendy.com
http://ocap.ca/wendy
http://www.geocities.com/wendypme/
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