Another war resister arrested in Canada

Robin Long is a war resister who went to Canada instead of serving in an illegal war. Last week, he explained his reasons to Canada's CBC TV, "Because I feel the war in Iraq is an illegal war of aggression and its an indiscriminate killing of the Arab people and I believe it's all for lies and the wrong reasons so I couldn't with good conscience take part in that conflict. . . . When I joined the army, I thought the war in Iraq was a good thing. I was lied to by my president. I -- The reasons that were given, I thought were valid but just because I joined the army didn't mean I abdicated my ability to evolve intellectually and morally and what I saw in the independent media and even in mainstream media changed my view of what was going on over there. And based on what I learned, I made a decision to desert."



He was on TV (Canadian, not American) because last Monday he was arrested. Why was he arrested? In a flashback to Kyle Snyder's February arrest, the police story shifts and changes on why he was approached by the police in the first place. For those who've forgotten Snyder being hauled off in his boxers [or maybe never heard because Gregory Levey (Salon) magazine remains the only American reporter to explore it -- others didn't even give a nod to it) becomes the first at a US news outlet] was accompanied with the Nelson police repeatedly changing their story. As Rod Mickleburgh (Canada's Globe and Mail) reminded last week, Long's "detention on Monday follows the bizarre apprehension earlier this year of Kyle Snyder, another war resister staying in Nelson, who was taken off to jail in the middle of a winter's night, wearing just a toque, a robe and his boxers. Nelson police have refused to say on whose request they detained Mr. Snyder, or why they knocked on his door at 4 a.m. They released him three hours later, after learning that he was legally in Canada as a visitor." Bizarre and the reality is Snyder was picked up on the orders of the US military which, last time anyone checked, wasn't over the Canadian police. What could have been an international outrage was allowed to become a regional one thanks to the lack of coverage. But it was an outrage and one that resulted in investigation. Or an alleged investigation.



The chief of the Nelson police, Dan Maluta, saw his 'leadership' investigated by a close friend. Futher demonstrating what a joke the investigation really was, on Saturday Canadian radio was abuzz with reports of the city's mayor, John Dooley, bragging on the record that he'd had the results of the investigation all week (in his briefcase) but hadn't bothered to read it yet.



So when the same police department began trotting out their original story, it didn't get a lot of traction in the Canadian media and the police department continues to alter their official story. Two war resisters have been arrested in Canada, both in Nelson. When the US military crossed over into Canada to search for Joshua Key, they accosted Winnie Ng in Toronto (Winnie and Eguene Ng had opened their home to the Keys) while posing as police officers. Had they been successful (or even good readers -- Joshua Key's The Deserter's Tale made clear that not only had he, Brandi and their children relocated but where they had relocated) there might have been three arrests -- or maybe just two arrests and one "extraordinary rendition."



Following the arrest, the police planned immediate action. As The Christian Radical noted Long was "arrested by the Nelson B.C. Police who intend to take him to Vancouver and hand him over to the US authorities at the border nearby. He was seized as he walked along a street. He is now detained in the local jail. Robin was not allowed to receive visits from friends; however he was able to call his spouse. She says that he is calm and hopeful that he will soon be released." The plan for immediate deportation wilted in the face of public outrage. Organizations, including the War Resisters Support Campaign and the Canadian Peace Alliance, the New Democratic Party of Canada political party (click here for release in English, here for release in French), and individuals worked together to get the word out and register their protests.



Long declared to Canada's CBC, "It feels good to be out. The fresh air feels really good. . . . When I got arrested and was sitting in the detention cell in Nelson, I was pretty sure I was going home right away. I was pretty sure I would be deported. The way that the immigration officer made it sound, I would be deported Friday. That's not quite what happened and I'm very thankful for that."



Where it stands now, as Courage to Resist explains, is that Long "still faces a pre-removal risk assessment which could lead to deportation at a later time so the fight is not over yet." Long must now report each month to the Canada Border Service Agency and he is hopeful that the Supreme Court's decision (expected in November now) will be to hear the appeals of U.S. war resisters Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey. If the court agrees to hear the cases, Hinzman and Hughey could provide the legal framework for today's war resisters to find the safe harbor in Canada that they did during Vietnam.



As last week was winding down, news came of a September arrest of another war resister on the border of Canada. Twenty-year-old Brad McCall was handcuffed at the border and explained to Charlie Smith (Vancouver's Straight) that he was "driven to a jail in Surrey" but apparently that's not something anyone's supposed to notice happening either.


The War Resisters Support Campaign has compiled a take action with links:



There are two urgent demands which we need to press for immediately:

• no resister should be removed until the Supreme Court has made a decision in the issue of Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey

Please take a moment to email or phone Minister of Immigration Diane Finley ASAP to demand that no resisters be removed before the Supreme Court has a chance to decide on this issue.

Phone 613-954-1064

Email minister@cic.gc.ca

• this situation needs a political solution -- we need our politicians to make a political provision to allow all US war resisters to stay
Please phone or email the opposition party leaders to ask them to support a political provision to allow US war resisters to stay in Canada. If the opposition parties unite, such a provision could easily be adopted.

- Stephane Dion, leader of the Liberal Party: 613.996.5789 dion.s@parl.gc.ca

- Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Bloc Quebecois: 613.992.6779 duceppe.g@parl.gc.ca

- Jack Layton: 613. 995.7224 - layton.j@parl.gc.ca

* * *It is more urgent than ever that we send a message to the Canadian government that Canada needs to welcome US men and women who refuse to participate in the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. There are three actions you can take today to help support the war resisters.
Sign the petition in support of the war resisters;
Contact the federal government and make your views known; and
Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Petition

Add your name to the petition calling for the federal government to make a provision to allow war resisters to stay in Canada. Initial signatories include June Callwood, David Suzuki, Maude Barlow, Shirley Douglas, Naomi Klein, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and many others.You can add your name at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/resister/petition.html.

You can also download a hard copy of the petition.
Contact the federal government

It is urgent that everyone who supports the right of US war resisters to stay in Canada immediately contact both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Diane Finley and demand that they make a provision to allow U.S. war resisters to stay in this country.

- Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Fax 613-941-6900

Email pm@pm.gc.ca

- Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Diane Finley

Phone 613-954-1064 (between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.)

Email: Minister@cic.gc.ca

Mail: The Honourable Diane Finley, P.C., M.P.Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Ottawa, OntarioK1A 1L1
Write a letter to the editor

Letters to the editor are an important piece of the public debate on this issue. The majority of Canadians opposed the war in Iraq and support the provision of sanctuary for US soldiers. Send a copy of your letter to the campaign to resisters@sympatico.ca.