Additional note on recent Jason Kenney picket in Toronto

I forgot a little Campaign note that I wanted to share. So rather than bury it in an old post, here's a new one.

This past Monday, Toronto Campaigners showed up at the Sutton Place Hotel, where an unpublicized event featuring Immigration and Citizenship Minister Jason Kenney was taking place. (How do we know about these things? Magic!)

About 15-20 supporters were outside the hotel, holding our huge STOP DEPORTING U.S. WAR RESISTERS! banner and handing leaflets to passers-by. Someone going into the event took a leaflet and said, "I agree with you!"

We later heard that, inside, the protest "was definitely noticed". Someone in the audience stood to ask a question, and, identifying himself as an historian, "upbraided" Mr Kenney for his stance on war resisters in Canada, and "was warmly applauded".

People of peace and good conscience are everywhere!

* * * *
Kenney was at the hotel to announce Canada's participation in an international Holocaust education effort. The event was held on the 70th anniversary of Canada's refusal to allow a ship full of Jewish refugees into the country.

Canada had a lot of company on that one: every country in the Americas also refused to allow the passengers of the St Louis onto their shores. The 907 Jewish people on board were sent back to Germany.

That was a mistake that Canada now admits and regrets.

Today the Canadian government makes another mistake, by turning away and deporting war resisters.

-thanks to We Move To Canada