Prison Transfer Requests: Federal Government

federal government: Although the Charter of Rights guarantees all citizens mobility rights or the right to enter and leave the country the countrys top court concluded the federal government may legally refuse prison transfer requests by those seeking to leave foreign jails. The case sets out for the first time the high courts view of mobility rights in the context of international prison transfers, according to The Star. The ruling was unanimous 9-0 in concluding the Conservative government acted lawfully in 2006 when it refused to accept the transfer of a Montreal drug dealer Pierino Divito. But the judges split in their reasons and OTTAWA The constitution does not give convicted Canadian citizens an automatic right to re-enter the country to finish serving jail time here, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Thursday. It was a victory for the federal government, which has since further broadened its ability to turn down such requests. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.