A report from RAIL-Canada Canada follows U.$. lead in "war on terrorism"

Despite its "peacekeeper" rhetoric, Canada has unsurprisingly chosen a role that suits its interests best -that of a loyal neighbor and an active participant in the infamous "war on terrorism". As of today, the total number of Canadian forces operating in Afghanistan is nearing 3,000, among which are 5 ships, several reconnaissance and support planes, as well as an elite force trained in covert operations.(1) A 750 troop contingent that is on its way to Afghanistan, according to Ottawa, "has ended up where it fits best in the Afghanistan operation", namely, under the direct command of the United $tates for the first time in Canadian history.(2) This means that Canadian troops will be obliged to turn prisoners over to the United $tates.

Apparently, Canada doesn't mind following the United $tates in violating the 1949 Geneva Convention that prohibits treating captured soldiers as "unlawful combatants" as opposed to prisoners of war until a competent tribunal decides so, which is just what the United $tates is doing. Its supposedly "human treatment" of Al- Qaida captives in fact consists in chaining, hooding and transporting them wearing ski goggles blacked out with tape and surgical masks, and keeping prisoners in 1.8 by 2.4 m. cages with concrete pads and metal roofs, constantly illuminated with halogen lights.(3) Meanwhile at home Canadian government has adopted a series of measures to fight the supposed "war on terrorism". Part of Canada's extensive Anti-Terrorism Plan is a $280 million "terrorism fighting package", with $10 million allocated for high-tech equipment.(4) $49 million will be spent to allow Citizenship and Immigration fast-track new immigrants by means of introducing a permanent resident card, conduct front-end screening of refugee claimants, as well as hire up to one hundred new staff to enforce security at the country's Ports of Entry.(5) To legalize the hunt down of "terrorists", Canadian government has passed Billl-36, which to borrow the Toronto Star expression, in "one size fits all" definition describes "terrorist activity" as unlawful practice "in whole or in part for a political, religious or ideological purpose" ...that is intended to cause physical harm or put at risk a person or any segment of the public, or cause substantial property damage or a serious interference with an essential public or private service, etc."(6) This new bill allows to detain suspects up to 72 hours with no charges laid on the sole ground of "reasonable suspicion" and denies suspects' right to remain silent. The bill also includes wiretapping and computer surveillance provisions. Echoing Bush's famous "Those who are not with us are against us", Canadian Justice Minister Anne McLellan justified paving the way to punishing political dissent by saying "the only people who need to worry about the bill are terrorists". 65% of the Canadians cheered over such line of thinking, while only 35% disapproved of the legislation.(7) The most affected by this so-called "war on terrorism" as usually have been the least privileged, among them refugee claimants and prospective immigrants.

Media reports suggest that since the attacks of September 11, around 35 people have been detained across Canada, although because of a certain atmosphere of secrecy and scarce media coverage, the exact number of detainees has not been confirmed.(8) According to a report by Anti- Racist Action- Toronto, since September 11, refugee claimants and prospective immigrants are held in jails, many in solitary confinement, and are being denied their rights. Hearings are held in jail cells instead of courtrooms, and family members are denied access to the proceedings. A recent case involved a teenaged refugee claimant who was held for 59 days with no evidence of any connection to terrorism. The guard threatened the detainee to "break his head" if he didn't stop speaking his native language. Aside from rounding up and mistreating refugees, the state has intensified its crack down on undocumented immigrants. Among the documented instances of forced deportation are the cases of Irma Joyles, Brenda McDonald and Shirley-Ann Charles, reported by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP).

Irma Joyles, originally from St. Vincent, has lived in Canada for 13 years. She established her life in Toronto by working and attending school in order to raise her Canadian-born daughter, afflicted with a serious medical condition. Irma is now being forced to choose between leaving her daughter behind or take her to a climate that would aggravate her condition. Irma has paid an immigration consultant more than $7000 in fees, with which he filed her papers improperly and turned her in to Immigration officials, ostensibly for a cash reward. Irma's deportation order has been issued by Enforcement officials before she could have an interview scheduled to have her Humanitarian and Compassionate claims heard- a procedure to which people without status are entitled to once they file such a claim.(9) Brenda Lyn MacDonald, born in Grenada, has lived in Canada since 1995. She has a small child born in Toronto, lives with her husband, and works full- time. In November Immigration officials turned up at Brenda's home, threatened to seize her daughter until Brenda turned herself in, and instead arrested Brenda's babysitter, Shirley-Ann Charles. Shirley-Ann, also from Grenada, has lived in Canada for 10 years, and has been forced to leave Canada "after remaining silent at her court hearing out of intimidation". Contrary to the immigration routine procedure, Brenda had not received a written notice of removal, but instead was seized right on the spot. This precipitated hunt-down is new following September 11, OCAP reports. People of Arab descent and other national minorities also face the consequences of the "war of terrorism". According to the general counsel at the Canadian-Islamic Civil Liberties Association, after September 11, Canada Customs and Immigration at Pearson International airport has been conducting racial profiling by name.(10) The Canadian government has not been the only one tightening the bolts on people of color and ethnic minorities. Canadian Race Relations Foundation has reported numerous cases of hate crimes on part of general population, some of which are 16 bomb threats towards mosques across Canada, 3 acts of arson in Montreal and in St. Catharine's, and the burning of a Hindu temple in Hamilton; harassment of Muslim students at Laval University; severe beating of a 15 year-old Arab boy by 12 teenagers in Ottawa; 18 incidents of harassment, vandalism and bomb threats against Jewish individuals and institutions in Toronto and Montreal, plus numerous hateful messages on the Internet.(11) RAIL Canada condemns this so-called "war on terrorism" and exposes the fallacy of the "security" rhetoric. Harassing a majority of Arab looking people in order to detect one potential terrorist will not guarantee "security." Nothing short of eradicating the roots of political violence will -- those roots being class conflict and group oppression. MIM is correct to point out the fact that the u.$. has too many enemies. To "eradicate terrorism" in yanqui terminology -- meaning to root out opposition to the u.$. expanding imperialism -- would imply rounding up the majority of the world's population and policing entire nations of people who suffer from the amerikan military grip. Racial profiling, quick deportations and secret detentions do not solve the problem of "security". At most, they give a comforting illusion of safety to a few at the expense of those who come to the "first world" fleeing poverty, devastation and criminal governments only to face more harassment and humiliation. But this is too high a price to pay for appeasing prejudices.

RAIL Canada 23 January 2002

Notes:
1. Toronto Star, October 18, 2001; January 8, 2002
2. Globe and Mail, January 11, 2002
3. Globe and Mail, January 15, 2002
4. Toronto Star, October 20, 2001
5. Citizenship and Immigration Canada News Release: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/press/01/0119- pre.html
6. http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/house/b ills/government/C-36/C-.../90168b-1E.htm
7. Toronto Star, October 19, 2001
8. Toronto Star, January 5, 2002
9. "'Security' Culture Gone Wrong: Single Mothers Face Imminent Deportation", from OCAP's call for rally; also see Inymedia Press Release at http://ontario.indymedia.org:8081/front.php3?artic le-id4951&group=webcast)
10. Toronto Star, October 18, 2001
11. www.crr.ca./EN/WhatsNewEvents/doc/eWhaNew- vigilance.pdf