january 12-19: let them stay week 2014: stop the deportations!

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the arrival in Canada of Jeremy Hinzman, the first US Iraq War resister to seek asylum here after refusing to participate in an illegal and immoral war. Yet 10 years on, Jeremy and his family, and many other U.S. war resisters, are still living in limbo – not certain if they will be forced to return to the US, where they face harsh punishment for their courageous decision.

From January 12 to 19, join Canadians across the country in Let Them Stay Week 2014, to send a message that U.S. war resisters are welcome in Canada, and that the Canadian government must stop the deportations and enact a provision to let them stay.

Here are some of the ways you can participate, to ensure that our message comes through each day of Let Them Stay Week.

Sunday, January 12
Tweet or post your support for U.S. war resisters on Facebook!

Monday, January 13
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. For ideas, see sample letters here.

Tuesday, January 14
Call or email the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander. and ask him to ensure that no more US war resisters are forced out of Canada for their opposition to an illegal and immoral war, and to enact a provision to let them stay in Canada.

You can send an email from our Take Action page, or write your own message. Email it to Minister@cic.gc.ca and chris.alexander@parl.gc.ca. Please copy the opposition leaders and critics: lysane.blanchette-lamothe@parl.gc.ca, mccallum.j@parl.gc.ca, mulcair.t@parl.gc.ca, trudeau.j@parl.gc.ca, elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca.

You can also phone Minister Alexander at 613.954.1064.

Wednesday, January 15
Write a letter to the Minister and to your MP in support of US war resisters.
Send your letter to: Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

In Toronto, join a letter-writing event at 7 p.m. at the Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street (near College and Beverly). The evening will feature a preview of the upcoming film Peace Has No Borders and updates from war resisters Joshua Key and Dean Walcott.

Thursday, January 16
Social media day: change your Facebook status to the graphic on this page and tweet a link to resisters.ca #LetThemStay.

Friday, January 17
MP and Community Outreach Day. Meet with your MP, or call their office to request a meeting.
For a lobbying guide to help organize your visit to your MP, email wrsctoronto@gmail.com.
Circulate this petition among your friends and family, at work or at school.

Saturday, January 18
Building Sanctuary: a panel discussion with Jessica Squires and Alyssa Manning, 5–7 p.m. EST, Ryerson University. Part of the Canadian Peace Alliance convention.

Jessica Squires is the author of Building Sanctuary: The Movement to Support Vietnam War Resisters in Canada, 1965-73. Alyssa Manning is the lawyer representing US war resisters in Canada. The panel will be livestreamed here.

Any Day or Every Day
- Display a sign in your window in support of war resisters. Download a sign here.
- Make a donation to our defense campaign in support of U.S. war resisters. Please make cheque payable to the War Resisters Support Campaign and send to War Resisters Support Campaign, Box 13, 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1X7, Canada.

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