April 20th 2005
Dear Ms.McLellan and all Honourable Minister.
I am a Canadian by choice, not by birth,
therefore you can conclude that I am an immigrant to this country. I
learned about the problems of racism in Canada by using my eyes and
ears, not "Heritage Days". I looked at the way the First Nation Peoples
were marginalized, I
heard all the Ukrainian jokes, I learned the history of the relocation
of Japanese Canadians and yet believed the optimistic vision of the
judge who granted my family and myself citizenship. I had hoped that
Canada had learned from past mistakes and I took it upon myself to
study the history of the Aboriginal peoples in the hopes of learning
what progressive route we were taking in this area. I realize now that
Canada has a racially intolerant government. History shows this and
now we are repeating our racist history again.
To the point: We are again using racially intolerant
policies, not against the Japanese this time, but against the Islamic community.
I am of course referring to the many people of Arabic, Middle Eastern and
Islamic background who are treated in a hostile fashion. We have the 'Five' political
prisoners held awaiting a secret trial , or having had such a draconian
measure taken against them, a risk assessment in readiness for
deportation, to the very countries from which they sought refuge. I had
no
idea that I could have been in fear of my life, had I not come freely
from the U.K. Had I sought refuge from an Arabic or Middle Eastern
country would I have
been treated so shamefully? Would CSIS have been able to
interview me
without advising me of my legal rights to a lawyer, an interpreter, or
on
what charges they were questioning me? Would they have entered my
home without a search warrant, an interpreter and without me
understanding my rights?
This has happened to many as you well know.
The paranoia you and your government has set free upon this
country like a plague, comes not from
security measures but fear mongering from the party we elected. I will
work long and hard to see that you and your party are not elected
again, unless I
see a human face to the government. We have stood outside your
constituency office in Edmonton many times sending as many faxes as we
could. We are getting stronger in our opposition to stop your party and
I will be giving all my support for a new government, hopefully soon,
by campaigning for others as I have never done before. My many friends
will be with me and you will hear our voices loud and
clear at the next election. We shall demonstrate using the tools that
you continually lay at our feet, that of lack of human rights to people
of a certain colour, creed or race. We are peaceable people so we need
only to use the evidence of your own words and deeds as they are
shameful, racist and inhuman enough.
We shall spread the word and shed the light upon the dark, dirty,
process
used on these men by CSIS, you Ms. Mclellan as part of this process,
and our
government are proceeding with, as a day to day business operation. We
have been doing so on behalf of the Harkat family and all the others
for two years. Now now many many people are becoming involved including
the regular media. Whether I live to continue our work or not, the seed
has been spread and will harvest. History will then see you in the
light, not as the farm girl made good but as a shameful side of
Canada's history of racial intolerance..
Ms. McLellan are you waiting for one of the men to die in
prison? This is entirely possible given the inhumane conditions that
they live with every day. There will be such a hue and cry if such a
thing happens and perhaps in your zealous policy, you and your
government have not considered this possibility. The psychological
effect of the treatment these men receive is abhorrent
to so many organizations and individuals, yet your government continues
to be callous.
Give these men a fair trial as does our government for rapists,
murders and pedophiles! These men are no such criminals, yet are
treated much worse. Give them a proper trial, show them to be innocent
and let them go, or find them guilty and imprison them. No to
deportations and washing your hands of their blood when they become
Canada's 'disappeared'. Ask Mr. Arar or Amnesty International if they
trusts the word of the Syrian government and many other countries to
whom these men may be deported.
I am also officially requesting a meeting with you.
Two other
concerned parties from other peace groups are willing to join me at any
time you find convenient. We are people mainly in your constituency and
we will accommodate you at any time. I look forward to a reply to this
e-mail and our request to meet.
Sincerely
Ms. Linda
Leibovitz
"Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou
shalt not be a
perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander."
( Anon.)
ECAWAR