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Good enough for a federal scholarship ...

ANTHONY REINHART

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 4:50 PM EDT 28/03/08

... but not Canadian enough to remain ...Read the full article

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  1. Adam Allouba from Montreal, Canada writes: Someone gets this woman out of Canada before she finds another victim! Where's the government to protect us when we need it?
  2. Slippery Slope from Canada writes: Look, it's unfortunate but she's gotta go. A deportation order is a deportation order. Stop making exceptions because everybody thinks they're an exception!
  3. Chris E. from vancouver, Canada writes: I would not look for leadership for Canada in someone who has spent their life in the bubble of Inner Toronto.
  4. J.C. Davies from Canada writes:
    To quote Lisa Simpson: "her only crime is breaking federal law".
  5. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: Chris E. from vancouver, Canada writes: "I would not look for leadership for Canada in someone who has spent their life in the bubble of Inner Toronto."

    York U is in Outer Toronto, numb nuts. Besides, you forgot the more obvious example. Stephen Harper lived in Toronto until he dropped out of UofT. Lester Pearson is also Toronto born and raised.

    What has Vancouver contributed to Canada recently in terms of leadership? The only thing coming out of there recently is Robert Pickton and a slew of white people that love going around Thailand putting their fingers in A LOT of underage pies (male pies at that).
  6. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: More to the point...

    Technically she didn't commit any crimes. Her parents most obviously did violate federal immigration protocols, but since when have we maid children pay for the sins of their parents? The fact that we are kicking out a perfectly exceptional student and member of society (I am sure most people who are critical of her are not recipients of scholarships and numerous committee service awards) is beyond absurd.

    If we were talking about some "gang banging" crips member, then fine. I can understand a reluctance to make an exception. We are not though, by all measure this is an upstanding youth who cares deeply about here community (and by extension, Canada). These are the people we should be retaining, those who demonstrate their benefits to society through deeds and actions rather than relying on bureaucracy to sort out who is good and bad.
  7. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: More to the point...

    Technically she didn't commit any crimes. Her parents most obviously did violate federal immigration protocols, but since when have we made children pay for the sins of their parents? The fact that we are kicking out a perfectly exceptional student and member of society (I am sure most people who are critical of her are not recipients of scholarships and numerous committee service awards) is beyond absurd.

    If we were talking about some gang member, then fine. I can understand a reluctance to make an exception. We are not though, by all measure this is an upstanding youth who cares deeply about her community (and by extension, Canada). These are the people we should be retaining, those who demonstrate their benefits to society through deeds and actions rather than relying on bureaucracy to sort out their potential virtues.
  8. Chrissy Simon from Canada writes: Her mother has already been deported once, and now she's back in Canada awaiting deportation again? How does someone who's been deported get back into Canada?
  9. Will Hoaccio from Canada writes: Chrissy Simon from Canada writes: "How does someone who's been deported get back into Canada?"

    its pretty simple. You just get a travel or work visa and just stay past it's expiry date. Unless you get arrested or brought up for something serious, it is almost impossible for the government to find you. Needle in a haystack.

    I don't think prior deportation really matters in Visa applications, to cross correlate every single visa application with immigration databases would bring tourism Canada to a standstill.
  10. Prashanta Dhakal from Canada writes: If conscience and law don't agree, maybe we need to change the law.
  11. Anuradha Bose from ottawa, writes: I would say that the two parties have to take responsibility for this appalling state of affairs: first, the parents of this young woman are to blame and must take some responsibility for exposing their daughter to this kind of ignominy. Secondly, the authorities who award scholarships for not checking on the immigration status of students when they award scholarships.
  12. Seb D from Ottawa, Canada writes: She's a bright student who does a lot of volunteer work in her community. Sounds like the kind of person we want to have in this country.

    But hey, somebody somewhere with the same skin colour shot someone, so let's just throw her away.
  13. Chris E. from vancouver, Canada writes: Just because she does volunteer work, doesn't mean we should waive the deportation order. Anyone can find religion when their neck is on the line.

    If she is as good as is said, she will be a leader in St. Lucia, perhaps a minister. They need their best and brightest, where we in Canada have a surplus of city-educated future-politicians.
  14. guy tozer from Saskatoon, Canada writes: As I've said before, give the stats on all these visa jumpers to the Ag. Dept. because they can find an infected cow in Buttplains Alberta in quick time, and one from 12 years ago no less!! Our immigration system needs revamping, and the complacent workers there, removed, and a new crew put in place.
  15. leo bloom from radisson, sask, Canada writes: Us and them, us and them, eh? That's a cowboy mentality that should have gone the way of the Edsel by now - but look, well there it is. We are a nation of finger-waggers and gum-flappers and it is oh-so-easy to sit back and toss stones, huh? Sure our immigration laws need an overhauled - the country is crawling with gangsters from all over the globe. Tighten up the drug laws, tighten up the morality laws, tighten up the financial loop-holes and see how lucrative a move to the great white north would be for somebody dealing in flesh or heroin or washing up the cocaine profits. Squeeze that big zit on our society and then, THEN perhaps people like Sarah Leonty will be noticed as a beauty mark - a wanted asset. Then all you armchair judges can get back to hockey...
  16. bethany middleton from Vancouver, Canada writes: As will hocaccio points out, technically she didn't do anything illegal - she was brought her by her parents at the age of 11. She's also shown nothing but commitment to her new country since her arrival 9 years ago. As for Chris E, she didn't just begin volunteering, she's been doing it for many years. Given your (chris E) comments on other issues, I imagine you'd have a different perspective if she was white.

    Us and them is an easy game to play. But there's a lot more grey than black and white.
  17. Loudan Bellicose from Canada writes: I am sure this exceptional young lady is also a born again Christian, Muslim, Budist, Vulcan, Viking and Vegan.
    The point is we got rules and they have to be followed and more strictly. Ship her back, can she apply from her home just like everybody else. The Immigration department is making an alarming number of huge mistakes, such as the HIV fiasco which has more than likely cost Canada Billions and thousands of Canadian lives, one man from Africa alone infected dozens of Canadian women. The immigration departments main criteria seems to be to get more Latte-Lieberal voters, screw Canadians.
    Heads need to roll in the immigration department.
  18. Cosmo Spacely from Canada writes: Ah...just send her back...then she can fly back into Canada using forged documents, get caught at immigration with the forged documents, then claim refugee status, get an appearance date, be released, then disappear in to the general population...happens all the time...
  19. Jasper the Black Lab from Vancouver, Canada writes: Good to see that the entire Immigration Department has worked their case load down to this last remaining "offender" .
  20. Seb D from Ottawa, Canada writes: If she promises to join the Conservative Party, does she get to stay?
  21. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: She didn't do anything illegal! How many people on this board have received scholarships for community service? This person has already proven herself to be an above average and contributing member of society.

    I wish we were able to hold ALL Canadians to her standard, we would most likely be able to deport the vast hordes of angry white people who have never contributed to society, never been educated and just rest on the laurels that "the generations before me founded this country". It is pathetic. You're race or birthplace shouldn't qualify or disqualify you from anything. She has clearly earned the right to remain in Canada through deeds, which speak louder than the intergenerational words most Canadians rest on.
  22. Go Oilers Go! from Canada writes: Honestly I have no problems with allowing her to stay. She is smart, educated and won't be a blight on tax payers; the last one is good enough for me. There are thousands of useless bums in this country that should be tossed out before this girl.
  23. Free The West from Free the West, BC, Canada writes: The students and typical Lefties on this forum would all be singing a different tune if, instead of presenting this girl in the media, they presented the Canadian student who should have received her scholarship instead. Manipulated simpletons, all of you.
  24. Will Hoaccio from Canada writes: Free The West from Free the West, BC, Canada writes: "The students and typical Lefties on this forum would all be singing a different tune if, instead of presenting this girl in the media, they presented the Canadian student who should have received her scholarship instead. Manipulated simpletons, all of you."

    These scholarships are merit based. If Canadians couldn't compete with her, then Canadians don't deserve scholarships. I like to think we live in a society were rewards and recognition is given to those who deserve it, not those who had the fortune of being born in a certain local.
  25. stand up mimi from Canada writes: Loudan Bellicose from Canada writes: "The point is we got rules and they have to be followed and more strictly."

    The problem with the "rules are rules" crowd is that they don't differentiate between them. The "rules" that disqualify immigrants from living in Canada are not the same as the laws that prevent hoodlums from stealing your car. Immigration laws are about the betterment of Canadian society. They were created in order to ensure the best candidates - whatever that might mean - are accepted, and those who would not contribute to society are rejected. As such, the "rules" are often bent, and rightly so. That's why the review process exists. The problem is that it often takes so long to review the cases that exceptional people like this young lady are sent away before their situation is thoroughly investigated. Drawing attention to her case can help, especially as she did nothing wrong herself.

    Following the letter of the law in this case would mean Canada loses out. However, some people would value the law itself over what it is trying to accomplish.
  26. J Norman from Edmonton, Canada writes: If this woman was born here and moved away as a young child, she would be welcomed back with open arms, despite spending her formative adolescent years in a foreign land. Reverse the situation and we have immigration bureaucrats wanting to deport someone who is more of a Canadian than many citizens.
  27. CD W from Canada writes: Since she has an education you have a couple of choices, send her back and immediately grant her a visa and application for status. Or intervene at the ministerial level and grant her status such as the minister can. One problem, she now becomes the wedge for the immigration crybabies to demand that everyone gets in, because of any reason. This is why she has to go back, to stop the others. sorry.
  28. r b from Calgary, Canada writes: You Libbie/lefties have to make up your minds.

    A few days ago you were screaming against the addition of ministerial discretionary powers for immigration matters via some supposed Tory budget bill skullduggery.

    Now you want to make an exception for this fine young lady.

    Which is it going to be?
  29. Chrissy Simon from Canada writes: A couple of posters have suggested that racism is an issue here. I read the article a second time, and couldn't find any evidence that her case is being treated more harshly because of her race. Is it really racist to expect non-white people to obey Canadian laws?
  30. Watcher of the skies from Montreal, Canada writes: She should make a fuss in Montreal instead, we're used to give attention to these cases.
  31. GlynnMhor of Skywall from Canada writes: Why can't we succeed in deporting the (non-citizen) drug dealers, welfare fraudsters, thugs, and robbers instead?

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