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Lankan grandmother deported

10 August 2012 05:54 am - 26     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A 70-year-old Toronto grandmother was deported on Thursday, despite having no family members remaining in her native Sri Lanka.

Gunapoosany Kandasamy, a Sri Lankan Tamil, boarded a flight to her old home at about 10 p.m., accompanied by another deportee, a Canadian Border Services Agency officer and a nurse who will accompany her for the flight.

Her Canadian daughter and granddaughter say they were given bad advice: rather than sponsoring her, they filed a refugee claim, which was rejected.

Kandasamy, a widow, has a hard time walking on her own. Her daughter in Toronto is scrambling to make arrangements so someone will collect her mother once she lands.

"She can go back there," her daughter, Chandradevi Uthirakumaran, told CBC News before the deportation. "But there's no other relatives or close friends or anyone."

Her granddaughter, Thadsa Uthirakumaran, said, "You wouldn't want it to happen to your family. Just give us a chance to give her a sponsorship from here. Don't send her off right away, not knowing the situation."

Two of Kandasamy's adult children live in Toronto, two in Norway. In its refusal, the Immigration and Refugee Board says Kandasamy had a permanent residency permit in Norway, but acknowledges the Norwegian residency stickers in her passport had expired.

The executive director of Toronto's South Asian Women's Centre says despite the family's mistake, this case demands compassion.

"We are finding that in fact the whole family reunification process, as far as grandmothers and mothers [are concerned], seems to have gone totally into the dustbin," Kripa Sekhar said.

Canada stopped accepting applications from people who want to join their children or grandchildren in Canada in November last year.

At the same time, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced a new super visa for people who want to visit their family members. The 10-year visa would allow them to stay for up to two years at a time. People need private medical insurance and meet a minimum annual income level of around $17,000 to have their parents or grandparents accepted.

The purpose is to clear a backlog of 180,000 applications while the government takes the time to consult Canadians and provincial governments about how to change the family reunification system, Kenney said at the time.

Kandasamy told CBC News she's afraid of what will happen when she steps off the plane alone.

The only way her deportation could have been stopped is if immigration officials had granted Kandasamy a humanitarian appeal to stay on compassionate grounds.

That could still happen, but if it does it will be while she's in Sri Lanka. To return, she'll need to apply for permission to re-enter the country. (Source: CBC Radio)

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  Comments - 26

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  • Arun Friday, 10 August 2012 10:00 AM

    Lets look at this problem on a more practical side. If I'm seeking a residency or even a visit visa what are the steps I would take. First and foremost, I would try to gather some information on how to apply for it. Search for the best options. There are so many literate diaspora in Canada. If they can go to courts to stop the Sri Lankan cricket team from participating in an International Cricket tournament, couldn't any of them advise these daughters on what is the best solution. Any idiot knows, that refugee claim will be accepted if the claimer is useful at least to their society. I think there is something more to it than deport story.

    sara Sunday, 12 August 2012 08:04 AM

    Nice post about Medical Validity for Canadian Immigration it is very helpful for students and immigrants

    RangaH Sunday, 12 August 2012 07:08 AM

    Why didn't the daughter or the grand daughter accompany the granny? They could have accompanied her and settled her here till they sort the issue? Good lesson for SriLankans who flee to Canada , UK and so called SAFE countries on the planet by misleading those governments

    GhostLanka1 Saturday, 11 August 2012 07:52 PM

    Tamil Diaspora wants compassion so that they can make redirect old granny's Candian govt sponsored family benefits into their accounts.

    Nodrog Saturday, 11 August 2012 04:58 AM

    Not only minority but even the majority will get same treatment when they do something wrong. Stop playing the sympathy card.

    Upul Friday, 10 August 2012 04:42 PM

    Some people also punch the key board to type something to hide the truth. This grandmother's children and grandchildren are belonged to Tamil Diaspora, and they act similar to the way LTTE-supporting portion of Tamil Diaspora generally acts . They shamefully demand refugee status for all of their relatives including grandmas and grandpas without a valid reason and this has become a very popular thing among Tamil Diaspora.

    Nodrog Friday, 10 August 2012 04:38 PM

    The children must be prosecuted for making a false claim. How can she qualify as a refugee when she is already had Norwegian PR?

    Mohamed Friday, 10 August 2012 03:12 PM

    Prasanna,
    Please note that even some sinhalase go to greener pastures claiming refugee and they often use tamil names
    forging the documents.

    raymond Friday, 10 August 2012 03:06 PM

    You are correct, Arun. There is something more to it than meets the eye. This lady is a Norwegian permanent resident (expired). She has come to Canada for monetary gain and the Canadian government did the right thing!! Period.

    brinthan Friday, 10 August 2012 02:51 PM

    Tamils diaspora are really money greedies that is clear. Because they all funded LTTE what they want and by force too. Now war is over, they never stat helping war affected families in ant way. SL govt also not interested that is another defect. in N East
    Diaspora 99 percent are selfish people and daydream that once there is a separate country for tamils they come and rule us,

    Amit Yogarajah Friday, 10 August 2012 11:15 AM

    That's her problem is it not? Why should Sri Lanka be burdened by this woman who did not bring up her children properly as evident by them using deception to get into Canada. She just got "unlucky". Too bad.

    Jesus Friday, 10 August 2012 10:47 AM

    yes ...right thing the Canadian government did...this is the same treatment minority get in sri lanka...

    Gayan Friday, 10 August 2012 06:04 AM

    The so called guardians of Tamils in Tamil Dispora is nowhere to be seen to solve real human issues like this.

    Rajinder A Friday, 10 August 2012 09:08 AM

    Why don't the Tamil dispora get on the steers and block the University Avenue and the street between Dundas Street West and Queen Street West, like they did in 2009 abd draw attention. Maybe DMK chief M Karunanidhi will join the protestors

    Managala Friday, 10 August 2012 09:04 AM

    What ever happens Sri Lankan Authorities must take steps to take care this Mother when she land on Sri Lanka. She has no relatives here she needs care and protection.

    sajitha Friday, 10 August 2012 08:19 AM

    The tamil diaspora role is allowing them to make false refugee claims by showing the world sri lanka is not safe for tamils.

    Those buggers ruined the life of this lady.

    DUWI Friday, 10 August 2012 08:27 AM

    Deport the real LTTE culprits. Not this old lady.

    Vicks Friday, 10 August 2012 07:44 AM

    'Some people don't think before pulling the keyboard and punching away. What is Tamil Diaspora's role in this? It is a bit wise to realise that these families do not seek proper advice, until fire gets to their bottoms.

    Ruwan W. Friday, 10 August 2012 07:21 AM

    It seems big propaganda by them to have others saved, who suffer same fate.

    Just Another Citizen Friday, 10 August 2012 06:35 AM

    Where are the so called voices now?

    saradiyal Friday, 10 August 2012 06:51 AM

    It's abundantly clear, these people decided to use refugee claim when they were not real refugees. They are a disgrace to their mother land. Even though we have empathy towards the old lady, this is a good punishment.

    Prasanna Friday, 10 August 2012 06:50 AM

    Canada is playing double game. If the name of the application was different they allow all Tamils to come to their country to increase the vots and sending this old grany just to show that their migration law is strong. Then how come so many Tamils in Torento????? and their activities for LTTE... No talk about that.

    Canada - Get real. Send all LTTE supporters out and show you are a lawful country without supporting dead LTTE.

    Nodrog Friday, 10 August 2012 06:36 AM

    Another bogus refugee claim rejected. Tamils have abused the system and kindness of sympathetic countries long enough and its about time the authorities woke up to this manipulation of their laws.

    Yohan Perera Friday, 10 August 2012 06:27 AM

    The statements by her children doesn't make any sense to me... They should be able to do more about their mother other than talking to media... It seems they are not genuinely concerned about their mother.

    Jayasiri Friday, 10 August 2012 06:35 AM

    She and her children can come to Sri Lanka and stay with her.


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