Canada / SA scandal
Sep. 3rd, 2009 01:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mahnmutThe man who cried white: Canada investigates
Canadian government lawyers are studying a controversial decision by an immigration board to grant refugee status to a white South African who said he suffered racist attacks at home.
This has emerged amid high-level talks between the two countries over Canada's acceptance of Brandon Huntley, 31, as a refugee on the basis of racist persecution by black South Africans.
Once the team of Canada's immigration lawyers has finished its work, Ottawa has the option of turning to their federal court to seek a review of the decision.
"Our department's lawyers are in the process of reviewing the decision... the government could seek a judicial review," said Danielle Norris, a spokeswoman for Canada's federal citizenship and immigration department.
"A judicial review by the Federal Court will not hear additional evidence with respect to the facts - for example, conditions in South Africa."
Hours earlier, South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Sue van der Merwe, said Pretoria would push for a review.
In London, Thandi Modise, deputy secretary-general of the ANC, expressed doubt that a white South African could have suffered such racist attacks.
Huntley had told of seven assaults, four stabbings, racist abuse and discriminatory affirmative action.
She said it would have been better if the Canadian government had tried to find out whether it was true that Huntley had been attacked seven times as he had said.
The ANC has called the board's decision racist.
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board is an independent tribunal that operates at arm's length from the government and makes decisions solely on evidence.
Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Jason Kenney, reportedly told the South African High Commissioner in Ottawa, Abraham Nkomo, that his government did not "necessarily" support the decision.
Nkomo said last night he was to meet Kenney's chief of staff to discuss the issue. He had also asked Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to spell out its position.
Meanwhile, spokeswoman for the Canadian High Commission in South Africa, Valery Yiptong, said they were "struggling to get the ruling" on Huntley which was made in private and bound by Canada's privacy act.
"We are trying to at least get them to share it with us," she said.
SA Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, said criminals did not target people because of their skin colour. "Criminals in South Africa... they look at what you have, rather than looking at your face.
"My house was broken into and some stuff was taken... and I remain black. Surely, my house was never broken into because I am black," Cele said.
Huntley said he had not lodged complaints with police after the attacks on him.
Canadian government lawyers are studying a controversial decision by an immigration board to grant refugee status to a white South African who said he suffered racist attacks at home.
This has emerged amid high-level talks between the two countries over Canada's acceptance of Brandon Huntley, 31, as a refugee on the basis of racist persecution by black South Africans.
Once the team of Canada's immigration lawyers has finished its work, Ottawa has the option of turning to their federal court to seek a review of the decision.
"Our department's lawyers are in the process of reviewing the decision... the government could seek a judicial review," said Danielle Norris, a spokeswoman for Canada's federal citizenship and immigration department.
"A judicial review by the Federal Court will not hear additional evidence with respect to the facts - for example, conditions in South Africa."
Hours earlier, South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Sue van der Merwe, said Pretoria would push for a review.
In London, Thandi Modise, deputy secretary-general of the ANC, expressed doubt that a white South African could have suffered such racist attacks.
Huntley had told of seven assaults, four stabbings, racist abuse and discriminatory affirmative action.
She said it would have been better if the Canadian government had tried to find out whether it was true that Huntley had been attacked seven times as he had said.
The ANC has called the board's decision racist.
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board is an independent tribunal that operates at arm's length from the government and makes decisions solely on evidence.
Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Jason Kenney, reportedly told the South African High Commissioner in Ottawa, Abraham Nkomo, that his government did not "necessarily" support the decision.
Nkomo said last night he was to meet Kenney's chief of staff to discuss the issue. He had also asked Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to spell out its position.
Meanwhile, spokeswoman for the Canadian High Commission in South Africa, Valery Yiptong, said they were "struggling to get the ruling" on Huntley which was made in private and bound by Canada's privacy act.
"We are trying to at least get them to share it with us," she said.
SA Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, said criminals did not target people because of their skin colour. "Criminals in South Africa... they look at what you have, rather than looking at your face.
"My house was broken into and some stuff was taken... and I remain black. Surely, my house was never broken into because I am black," Cele said.
Huntley said he had not lodged complaints with police after the attacks on him.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-04 07:09 am (UTC)