Jul 12

SUPPORT THE SHEIKH FAMILY.DETENTION REVIEW

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SHEIKH FAMILY!
DETENTION REVIEW, MONDAY, JULY 13 AT NOON.

***********************
Monday, July 13, 2009
12PM Gathering
1PM Detention Review
200 Réné-Lévésque O.
(metro Place-des-arts)
***********************

IMMIGRATION CANADA DEPORTS THE PARENTS & LEAVES CHILDREN TO PICK UP THE
PIECES OF THEIR DEVASTATED LIVES!

Sabir Mohammed Sheikh and Seema Sheikh, originally from Karachi, Pakistan,
were accepted as refugees in Canada in 2001. The Sheikh family of four
children, has arduously worked to rebuild a vibrant life in their
Parc-Extension neighbourhood since. Now, Canadian immigration authorities
are abruptly ending their new life in Canada.SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SHEIKH FAMILY!
DETENTION REVIEW, MONDAY, JULY 13 AT NOON.

***********************
Monday, July 13, 2009
12PM Gathering
1PM Detention Review
200 Réné-Lévésque O.
(metro Place-des-arts)
***********************

IMMIGRATION CANADA DEPORTS THE PARENTS & LEAVES CHILDREN TO PICK UP THE
PIECES OF THEIR DEVASTATED LIVES!

Sabir Mohammed Sheikh and Seema Sheikh, originally from Karachi, Pakistan,
were accepted as refugees in Canada in 2001. The Sheikh family of four
children, has arduously worked to rebuild a vibrant life in their
Parc-Extension neighbourhood since. Now, Canadian immigration authorities
are abruptly ending their new life in Canada.

Sabir and Seema Sheikh, and their four children – Ashrah Sheikh (26
years), Tayyaba Sheikh (23 years), Sami Sheikh (21 years) and
Canadian-born Sabrina Sheikh (5 years) – face life-threatening danger in
Pakistan if they are forced to return. Immigration authorities revoked the
Sheikh family’s refugee status in a sudden and unexpected decision in
2007. Immigration Canada does not dispute the real danger the family faces
in their home country. Instead, immigration authorities insist on revoking
the family’s refugee status and uprooting the parents due to a
technicality.

On Thursday, July 9th, the family’s last legal recourse to halt their
deportation was heard at the Federal Court. In an inhumane decision, the
judge willingly tears the family apart by upholding the deportation order
for the parents, while granting an immediate stay for the children. The
stay of deportation for the older children will be respected until they
can have a judicial review of their refugee claim to regularize their
status.

Friday morning, July 10th, three officers of the Canadian Border Service
Agency (CBSA), armed and dressed in bulletproof vests, entered the Sheikh
family’s Parc-Extension apartment unexpectedly. The family was in the
midst of preparing bags, and discussing immediate plans. Sabir and Seema
are now detained at the Laval Detention Center.

The deportation of Mohammed and Seema Sheikh is devastating to the
family’s future and potential aspirations of their children. In clear
violation of the constitution, Sabrina, the five year-old Canadian born
daughter, is denied her rights to live with her parents and is condemned
to be a second-class citizen. Ashrah, the eldest daughter, currently
studying political science at Concordia and working at Walmart, is forced,
along with her younger brother, Sami, a student at Vanier College, to pick
up the pieces of a disastrous deportation order and a destroyed life.

Sabir Mohammed Sheikh is a well-respected community figure in
Parc-Extension, a volunteer community liaison with the local CLSC, and the
manager of Marche BK, a popular grocery store on Jean-Talon Street. The
uprooting of Sabir and Seema not only affects the family, it delivers a
devastating blow to the entire community in Parc-Extension.

An injury to one, is an injury to all.

*For More Info: 514.295.5095

JOIN US! SUPPORT THE SHEIKH FAMILY NOW!

*** For media coverage, visit the following links ***

1. The Hour: Parc Ex rallies against the deportation of influential family
//www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=17769

2. The Gazette: Deportation splits Montreal family
//www.montrealgazette.com/news/Deportation+splits+Montreal+family/1781077/story.html

3. The National Post: Parents are deported, but children stay
//www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1780461

4. CTV : Pakistani family denied refugee status
//montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090711/mtl_pakistani_090711/20090711/?hub=MontrealHome

5. Canadian Press : Court upholds deportation order splitting Pakistani
family in Montreal
//www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iqjxOqpuOaoNTGyqWcEQfjieNHdQ

6. Radio-Canada: Une famille séparée
//www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Montreal/2009/07/11/002-famille-refugies-expulsion.shtml

7. La Presse Canadienne: Une famille montréalaise d’origine pakistanaise
se bat pour rester unie
//www.journalmetro.com/linfo/article/260424–une-famille-montrealaise-d-origine-pakistanaise-se-bat-pour-rester-unie

Sabir and Seema Sheikh, and their four children – Ashrah Sheikh (26
years), Tayyaba Sheikh (23 years), Sami Sheikh (21 years) and
Canadian-born Sabrina Sheikh (5 years) – face life-threatening danger in
Pakistan if they are forced to return. Immigration authorities revoked the
Sheikh family’s refugee status in a sudden and unexpected decision in
2007. Immigration Canada does not dispute the real danger the family faces
in their home country. Instead, immigration authorities insist on revoking
the family’s refugee status and uprooting the parents due to a
technicality.

On Thursday, July 9th, the family’s last legal recourse to halt their
deportation was heard at the Federal Court. In an inhumane decision, the
judge willingly tears the family apart by upholding the deportation order
for the parents, while granting an immediate stay for the children. The
stay of deportation for the older children will be respected until they
can have a judicial review of their refugee claim to regularize their
status.

Friday morning, July 10th, three officers of the Canadian Border Service
Agency (CBSA), armed and dressed in bulletproof vests, entered the Sheikh
family’s Parc-Extension apartment unexpectedly. The family was in the
midst of preparing bags, and discussing immediate plans. Sabir and Seema
are now detained at the Laval Detention Center.

The deportation of Mohammed and Seema Sheikh is devastating to the
family’s future and potential aspirations of their children. In clear
violation of the constitution, Sabrina, the five year-old Canadian born
daughter, is denied her rights to live with her parents and is condemned
to be a second-class citizen. Ashrah, the eldest daughter, currently
studying political science at Concordia and working at Walmart, is forced,
along with her younger brother, Sami, a student at Vanier College, to pick
up the pieces of a disastrous deportation order and a destroyed life.

Sabir Mohammed Sheikh is a well-respected community figure in
Parc-Extension, a volunteer community liaison with the local CLSC, and the
manager of Marche BK, a popular grocery store on Jean-Talon Street. The
uprooting of Sabir and Seema not only affects the family, it delivers a
devastating blow to the entire community in Parc-Extension.

An injury to one, is an injury to all.

*For More Info: 514.295.5095

JOIN US! SUPPORT THE SHEIKH FAMILY NOW!

*** For media coverage, visit the following links ***

1. The Hour: Parc Ex rallies against the deportation of influential family
//www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=17769

2. The Gazette: Deportation splits Montreal family
//www.montrealgazette.com/news/Deportation+splits+Montreal+family/1781077/story.html

3. The National Post: Parents are deported, but children stay
//www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1780461

4. CTV : Pakistani family denied refugee status
//montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090711/mtl_pakistani_090711/20090711/?hub=MontrealHome

5. Canadian Press : Court upholds deportation order splitting Pakistani
family in Montreal
//www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iqjxOqpuOaoNTGyqWcEQfjieNHdQ

6. Radio-Canada: Une famille séparée
//www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Montreal/2009/07/11/002-famille-refugies-expulsion.shtml

7. La Presse Canadienne: Une famille montréalaise d’origine pakistanaise
se bat pour rester unie
//www.journalmetro.com/linfo/article/260424–une-famille-montrealaise-d-origine-pakistanaise-se-bat-pour-rester-unie

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