Ira de Silva London, Ontario

Hon. V. Toews
Minister for Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
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Dear Sir:
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News reports indicate that it is your government’s goal to “ensure that our refugee system is not hijacked by criminals or terrorists” and that changes may be required to Canada’s refugee system. Unfortunately, these “opinions” have been expressed by your government in the pastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but nothing was done. When the last boatload of so-called Tamil refugees landed in Canada last October, there was much song and dance by your government about Canada’s flawed refugee system. The Tamils were kept in detention centres etc. to pacify the outcry from most Canadians and after a short time they were all quietlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ released. Would you not agree that your government’s action last OctoberƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sent a message to these Tamils that they could easily get into Canada because they would know that your government is just talking and not likely to do anything positive to stop them from getting into the country where they will be supported by the Canadian taxpayer to file refugee claims, provided with free medical care, living costs etc. possibly for the rest of their lives? Recent polls indicate that 85% of Canadians want their government, that means your government, to send these people back. Previous Liberal governments encouraged Tamils to come to Canada as they believed that the more Tamils they got in the more votes they would garner especially in the Toronto area. They ignored the fact that known Tamil terrorists were among those they were admitting into the country. Security of other Canadians was ignored by them in their quest for votes. Are you hoping that by letting these people in they will vote for the Conservatives?
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As regards the notion that these are refugees, have you taken note of the following facts:
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These people have paid human smugglers $45,000 each for this journey into Canada. If these people are supposed to be the poor, destitute Tamils where do you think they got $45,000 each to pay for this passage when even professionals such as doctors, engineers etc. from Sri Lanka would not be able to afford these amounts. Based on media reports these people are not doctors, engineers etc. so where did they get the money? Just ask your Canadian ambassador to Sri Lanka what the average salaries are for people in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even ordinary CanadiansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  would not be able afford $45,000 for a journey, soƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are you going to establish the source of their funding?
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It is well known that the LTTE were making money by human smuggling for decades. This ship is said to be one of the LTTE boats which was used to ferry arms to the Tamil Tigers for terrorism in Sri Lanka. The war is now over but their illegal business continues because there is plenty of LTTE money overseas to pay for these voyages and make exorbitant profits. Is it not feasible that the LTTE would spend their money to help their own and keep the cycle going?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Given that news reports indicate that other Tamils who have come into Canada as supposed refugees claim that they have relatives on the boat, is it not possible that those who are financing these people areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ now in Canada and have access to LTTE money? You must be aware that there are at least 10,000 trained LTTE cadres residing in the Toronto area and that collection of money for LTTE “projects” goes on unabated.
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It is claimed that the person who brought the ship to Canada, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ said to be “Vinod”, has been identified as a member of the LTTE. Are you going to establish his true identity and if he is a Tamil Tiger, arrest him and charge him or are you going to release him so that he can go back to Thailand and return with the next lot? What did Canada do to those who brought the boatload inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ October – nothing. Is that what you propose to do with the leader and crew of this boat too?
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The front organizations of the LTTE have been operating in Canada for decades and they have raised millions to fund terrorism in Sri Lanka from Canada. The fact that the military war is over in Sri Lanka does not deter them from continuing to raiseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ funds to continue in their goal ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dividing Sri Lanka. Toronto is becoming the largest centreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and post war base for the LTTE to re-group and continue. Your government has been warned repeatedly of this activity to no avail. The front organizations continue without hindrance, are ready to encourage and welcome more LTTE supporters with lawyers, funding and monetary assistance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those Tamils who came earlier as “refugees” give interviews on T.V. that they have relatives on this boat and are waiting for them in Toronto and other cities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  (See http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Tigers/3397826/story.html)All your government does is talk tough. For a government that at every turn broadcasts that it is high on law and order issues, dealing with these boatloads is a dismal failure.
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In case you are not aware that these peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may not qualify as refugees, I would like you to note the following:
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The UN advised earlier this year that Sri Lanka was not a refugee producing country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ThisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ July 5, 2010ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the United Nations refugee agency guidelines for Sri Lankans stated – Sri Lankans originating from the north of the country are no longer in need of international protection under broader refugee criteria or complementary forms of protection solely on the basis of risk of indiscriminate harm. In light of the improved human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka, there is no longer a need for group based protection mechanisms or for a presumption of eligibility for Sri Lankans of Tamil ethnicity originating from the north of the country”.
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The Australian Government issued the following statement on July 12,2010. It stated that “recent country information suggests the situation in Sri Lanka is improving and stabilising in some areas. This includes the recently released UNHCR eligibility guidelines for Sri Lanka, which support existing information indicating that conditions are improving and that a greater number of asylum seekers may not be refugees under the Refugees Convention – Fact Sheet 75a – Suspension of Asylum Claim Processing for Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
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The latest report from UNHCR this week says that Tamil refugees have started to return to Sri Lanka fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil Nadu, India. Tamil Nadu, India is the homeland of Tamils yet they prefer to go to Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  According to Michael Zwack, UNHCR representative in Sri Lanka, “the numbers of returns are not currently high, but it is significant to see that they have already exceeded that of all 2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We can expect more refugees will start to consider returning home, reconnecting with their families, and rebuilding their lives in this post-conflict phase”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Please note these Tamils are returning voluntarily to Sri Lanka. It also gives the lie to the claims of conditions in Sri Lanka by these boat peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and their advocates in Toronto.
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Given the above reports, are you still going to accept that these people are refugees or are you going to do what 85% of your fellow citizens want you to do which is return these people to where they started this journey, which is not Sri Lanka, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and send the correct message to smugglers that you are serious about protecting Canada’s borders? The current opinion of Canada in the world is that it is a safe haven for terrorists from anywhere in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ world and that they can not only enter Canada with ease but operate with impunity from Canada. Are youƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ going to act in the best interests of Canada and Canadians and send the correct message to the world by prosecuting the leaders on the boat and expelling all those who are bogus refugees? With the thousands of dollars theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seem to have at their disposal, they could live in comfort somewhere else and not burden the Canadian taxpayer.
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Yours truly,
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Ira de Silva
London, Ontario