immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

I Need: Exchange I and Government Officials

i need: I'm lucky to be in a position to raise my voice for Abdi, and I have made many sacrifices so I can speak as openly as I need to for Black people across Canada.I regularly meet Black folks who encourage me to speak out, who say they cannot for fear of compromising themselves, especially in their workplaces, according to Toronto Star. While I truly understand how they feel, I also believe that Abdi is still in Canada because Black Canadians and many others have publicly told the government to stop his deportation. The exchange I had with Minister Ahmed Hussen that morning was like many with government officials he asked for more information and agreed to follow up.I feel responsible for what happens to Abdoul Abdi, 24, a refugee who came to Nova Scotia from Somalia at age 6, was taken into the child welfare system, and never got his citizenship because the government, his legal guardian, never applied for it. People who are not free to make such demands, or who refuse to, can never propel the libratory changes Black people in Canada need.A new group calling itself the Federation of Black Canadians FBC is led by well-connected Black people who cannot, or who choose not to demand Abdi's freedom. This obvious fact, bears repeating given the sudden rise of the previously unknown FBC. The FBC is led by chairperson Donald McLeod, a sitting judge in the Ontario Court of Justice. I don't believe the judges, police officers and corrections officials who helped create FBC can speak to Abdi's particular situation, nor do I think they can openly critique their own institutions the courts, the prison system, the law enforcement regime without jeopardizing their careers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.