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--> Rally at the Immigration Refugee Board in support of Dany Villanueva (Wednesday, April 21 at 12:30pm) at 200 blvd Réné-Lévesque West. Stay for his IRB hearing at 1pm.
--> Write, Fax or Phone the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Minister of Public Safety.
--> Show your support for the Villanueva family by attending the coroner’s inquest into Fredy Villanueva’s death: from May 3rd to 5th at the Palais de Justice from 9:30AM to 4:30PM (Montréal).
[More details below]
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This past January, Dany Villanueva learned that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will begin the process of trying to deport him from Canada, by attempting to remove his permanent residency status. The immigration hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 1PM.
Dany is the older brother of Fredy Villanueva, who was killed by the Montreal Police in August 2008. Dany is scheduled to testify as a key witness at the coroner’s inquest into the circumstances of his brother’s death. Dany’s hearing was initially scheduled on March 11, 2010 but was postponed because of the scheduling conflict with the coroner’s inquest.
The removal proceedings against Dany are highly suspect. They amount to interference by the CBSA of the coroner’s inquest into Fredy’s death. The removal proceedings serve to demonize Dany for his criminal convictions, for which he has already received punishment. The removal proceedings also serve to increase the stress on Dany and his family, who must concentrate not just on the coroner’s inquest into Fredy’s death, but also the potential threat of a deportation to Honduras. Dany has been a permanent resident in Canada since 1998 and has lived here since 12 years of age.
The current removal proceedings against Dany place an unbearable burden on the entire Villanueva family. They must not only remain vigilant in seeking justice for the death of their son and brother Fredy, but they must now, at the same time, struggle against the forcible removal of another son and brother.
The proceedings against Dany expose the injustice of the “double punishment” against migrants who have been convicted of crimes. Dany has already been punished by the criminal justice system for his previous criminal conviction, but he is now being doubly punished by the initiation of removal proceedings against him. The “double punishment” particularly targets poor immigrant youth of colour who are racially and socially profiled by the police. The “double punishment” results in the removal of youth who have spent the majority of their lives in Canada back to countries they left as children.
We call on all Montreal-area residents to denounce the current situation forced on the Villanueva family by the CBSA and other agencies.
We are demanding:
--> an immediate end to all removal proceedings against Dany Villanueva, and that his permanent resident status is restored;
--> an end to the double punishment against migrants with criminal records.
We continue to denounce police impunity, and we declare our support and solidarity with the Villanueva family.
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*SOME STEPS YOU CAN TAKE NOW*
- PARTICIPATE in the rally and press scrum on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21 at the IRB, Guy Favreau Complex, 200 blvd René-Lévesque W, (métro Place-des-Arts or Place-d’Armes). Please arrive at *12:30PM* for the press scrum and rally, and stay for the hearing at 1PM. Please confirm your presence by emailing solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com.
- ENDORSE the campaign to stop the deportation of Dany Villanueva. If you agree with the main demands of this campaign, please send your group endorsement to: solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com
- WRITE OR PHONE both the Ministers of Citizenship and Immigration (Jason Kenney) and the Minister of Public Safety who is responsible for the Canadian Border Services Agency (Vic Toews). More information about writing and phoning these Ministers is included below. We strongly encourage faxes and mailed letters, as well as phone calls, rather than e-mail messages that are not taken as seriously by the Canadian government.
- We encourage your continued support with the Villanueva family by attending the coroner’s inquest taking place at the Palais de Justice through the week of May 3rd to 5th, 2010. Details about these hearings are linked here: http://www.lacrap.org/calendrier-des-dates-de-lenquete-publique
- We also encourage you to attend future Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) hearings that will determine whether Dany retains his permanent resident status, or whether he will be deported.
- Finally, we encourage you to send a message of support to Dany and the entire Villanueva family. Send your messages to solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com and they will be copied and forwarded to Dany and the Villanueva family.
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*MODEL LETTER/TALKING POINTS*
[You can use the model letter below as a starting point for your own letter, or as talking points when making a phone call.]
*Dear Minister Kenney and Minister Toews –
I am writing to you in your respective capacities as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) and Minister of Public Safety with responsibilities for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
I am writing concerning the case of Dany Villanueva who is currently facing removal proceedings against him, despite being a permanent resident in Canada since 1998. In your roles, you can authorize that Dany be granted full status in Canada, and that the CBSA stop its removal proceedings immediately.
The currently removal proceedings against Dany are troubling for many reasons.
Dany has lived in Canada as a permanent resident since 1998, and left Honduras with his family as a child. He has lived in Canada for more than decade.
The proceedings against Dany amount to CBSA interference in an important coroner’s inquest in to the death of Fredy Villanueva, Dany’s younger brother who was killed by the Montreal police in 2008. Fredy’s case has brought significant attention to both racial profiling and police impunity in Montreal. Dany is scheduled to be an important witness at this inquiry, and Dany’s upcoming date at the Immigration and Refugee Board places undue pressure on Dany and his family. It’s a troubling situation, and the timing of the current removal proceedings against Dany is suspect.
Dany is also a victim of the “double punishment” practiced by both CIC and the CBSA. Dany has already been punished by the criminal justice system for his previous criminal conviction, but he is now being doubly punished by the initiation of removal proceedings against him. The “double punishment” particularly targets poor immigrant youth of colour who are racially and socially profiled by the police.
I would like to express my support for the Villanueva family, and respectfully ask that you consider this request to grant Dany Villanueva permanent status in Canada, and to end all removal proceedings against him.
Sincerely,
XXX*
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Please fax or mail your letters (e-mails are not taken as seriously as a written fax or mailed letter). You can also phone to register your opinion, and use the model letter above as talking points.
We suggest you write to Ministers Kenny and Toews in one letter, but your letter must be sent to the Ministers separately.
- Contact information for Jason Kenney,
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
mail (postage not required):
The Honourable Jason Kenney, P.C., M.P.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
telephone: 613-992-2235
fax: 613-992-1920
e-mail: Minister@cic.gc.ca
- Contact information for Vic Toews,
Minister of Public Safety (responsible for the CBSA)
mail (postage not required):
The Honourable Vic Toews, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A6
telephone: 613-992-3128
fax: 613-995-1049
e-mail: communications@ps.gc.ca
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Please e-mail **soldiaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com
if you have mailed/faxed/phoned either Minister. Thank you.
To support the campaign to stop the deportation of Dany Villaneuva, contact:
514-848-7583 or e-mail **solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com
*A joint call for your support and action by the Coalition Against Police Repression and Abuse, Montréal-Nord Républik, No One Is Illegal-Montreal and Solidarity Across Borders*