To the Editor:
Working people across Saskatchewan are calling on the Harper Government, specifically new Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, to intervene in the cases of Victoria Ordu and Favour Amadi, two young international students facing deportation orders. The two young women have been hiding in sanctuary for over a year, since mistakenly violating the terms of their student visas.
As a nation, we have long held that we can only benefit from welcoming visitors and future residents into Canada. Interacting with other cultures, ideas, and perspectives enriches the lives of Canadians and serves as the very foundation of academic life. It would be a terrible shame to throw away two young women's education over a technicality.
Both Ms. Ordu and Ms. Amadi came to Canada as scholars with the endorsement of the Nigerian Government, which funds their studies. The two young women mistakenly accepted jobs in the retail sector, a violation of the terms of their visas, though they discontinued their employment as soon as the mistake was identified. Ms. Amadi was taken from her workplace, in front of her friends and peers, in handcuffs.
It would be a shame for such an exceptional opportunity, both for the two young women and for the other students of the University of Regina, to be squandered over an innocent mistake. We believe that the cases of Ms. Ordu and Ms. Amadi must be reconsidered, and that both young women should be allowed to conclude their studies here in Saskatchewan.
Larry Hubich, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour President.
