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The Human Rights Cause
603,657 people care about Human Rights
Loading...Stop Deportation of Lucene Charles
“Lucene is an absolute delight. She is very personable and reliable and we appreciate all of her hard work!” Sandy Culley, Librarian Technician, Hamilton, Ontario
“Really this is about the children, Canadian children, who’ve got a great mother who’s working hard and providing them and making sure they have a really good life.” Reverend Rick Jones, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Hamilton, Ontario
Does this sound like a woman who should be kicked out of Canada? Lucene Charles is the mother of three boys and one girl. Born on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, she married a Canadian in 1997. In 1999, after her three boys were born, she and the family moved to Gambia to be near her mother, who was volunteering with the United Nations.
Living with the twin shadows of abuse and scarce money, Charles never completed her application for permanent residency in Canada. When the marriage ended in 2007, she brought her children back to Canada. The three older boys were all citizens. The youngest, a daughter now four and a half years old, was born in Africa.
When Charles began her search for work, immigration officials discovered she was not a permanent resident and ordered her out of the country. She was turned down twice more when she applied under humanitarian, compassionate grounds and when she asked for refugee status.
Lucene is a skilled worker with a good position. Her boys are active in Scouts, Cadets, choir and athletics. She is the kind of immigrant that enhances Canadian society.
Now, having exhausted all her appeals, Charles has been ordered to leave the country. This week she must report to Canada Border Services Agency with non-refundable tickets for herself and her daughter. They are to depart for St. Vincent no later than Thursday, February 2. The 90-day extension she requested, so she could give notice to her employer and landlord and sell her possessions, was denied.
The three boys, now 14, 13 and 11, may stay, but their Canadian father is unable to look after them. Charles is exploring options for her sons to stay with a temporary guardian so that they can at least finish the school year. Then she faces the untenable situation of taking her boys to a country where they have never lived or leaving them behind so they will have more opportunities.
Only one avenue to Charles’s staying in Canada remains open. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has the power to rescind her deportation. Call on him to act humanely and keep this family together in Canada. Weigh in on the Facebook page. Call the Honourable Jason Kenney, 613-992-2235 or email him at jason.kenney@parl.gc.ca. And sign the petition below.
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Read more: canada, deportation, human rights, immigrant family separation
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+ add your ownSigned the petition. This woman and her children should stay in Canada.
Can't find the petition link here or on the care2 site. So I will add my 2 cents here and hope it helps.
This woman is clearly a case in which one must look at her case individually. She is only seeking to keep her family together and continue being a good worker and parent (read citizen). Let her stay!
Can't find the petition link here or on the care2 site. So I will add my 2 cents here and hope it helps.
This woman is clearly a case in which one must look at her case individually. She is only seeking to keep her family together and continue being a good worker and parent (read citizen). Let her stay!
Its just some paperwork- fill it out and let her stay.
wow so sad, let's hope they let her stay!!
Thanks for the article.
Play fair let her stay
SAD...BUT ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL!
Let her stay and learn to accept people irrespective of colour race and religion
To Thomas, who are you kidding? The US would take her?Your group hates everyone unlike themselves, with no compassion for any one but for you and your ilk.You sir and those who think like you are what's destroying the US.I wish that we could ship you and yours to Siberia.Let people like this woman come to the US. I would much rather be her neighbor than yours.
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