You know what, when somebody fills out an application for some sort of immigration status in Canada, he or she is expected to tell the truth, be upfront and not withhold information on that application. It’s an expectation, and if fact when the person signs off on that application, he or she is swearing that the information they are providing is true and that they have provided ALL the correct information pertinent to that application.
Unfortunately there are lot of bad guys living throughout the world and they seem to think that they don’t have to play by anybody’s rules but their own, especially when it comes to giving a government agency like immigration information about themselves, the kind of information that would likely prevent them from being granted a visa to stay in Canada. That’s why they do not disclose all on their immigration apps. They know if they reveal too much about themselves their immigration application could be rejected.
That said, another immigrant finds himself in trouble with immigration authorities and despite his 11 years in Canada it looks like Mikhail Lennikov, a man who didn’t tell immigration he was a former KGB contractor because he knew had he done so he would have required special permission from the Minister of Public Safety to stay in Canada, will be deported.
Lennikov like Josip Budimcic, Helmut Oberlander and Laibar Singh, not to mention that punk ass Asian gang member in Calgary Tran Trong Nghi Nguyen aka Jackie Tran should be removed from Canada immediately. The aforementioned shouldn’t have anymore recourse to avoid their imminent deportations, in fact they should all be put on planes and flown out of Canada today. Then there’s that convicted terrorist living in Ontario who was ordered deported more than twenty years ago, and he is still in Canada. The latter was convicted of convicting a terrorist act in which one man died. He was sentenced to prison, but another act of terrorism saw him released from the confines of his prison cell. How nice of Canada to let him remain in the country for the more than twenty years he has remained in Canada since his deportation order was first handed down.
Let them lodge appeals of their deportations from abroad. I’m sure a video link from a Canadian Embassy would suffice in their cases.
Anyway Canadians can bet that Lennikov will launch appeal after appeal after appeal to avoid being deported from Canada, and of course the taxpayer’s will pick up some of that cost.
Yeppers, Canada is becoming quite the safe-haven for ‘bad guys’ from all around the world, and nobody seems to give a shit about that.
Canadians need to wake the f**k up and demand more from their government when it comes to immigrants who enter the country under false pretences or commit crimes once they receive their immigrant status in Canada.
By the way, American authorities picked up a Canadian immigrant from India who is wanted on an Interpol warrant for fraud and fraudulent activity. That event occurred the other day. How much does anybody want to bet that Raghbir Singh Virk lied on his Canadian immigration application, and how much does anybody want to bet that he will end up back in Canada before he is deported back to India? I hope that isn’t the case, that he is deported directly from the U.S., but somehow I doubt that will happen given the way the Canadian government is currently dealing with immigrants of questionable character that have been accused and in some cases convicted of crimes in their native homelands.
Are Things Really That Bad For Alberta Hospitals?
I don’t know if hospitals re-using syringes is a really good idea or not, but if the syringes aren’t breaking a patient’s skin, and assuming that if anybody can sterilize things a hospital can, then is there a danger?
I don’t know how dangerous the practice is, but what I do know is that tempting fate in a hospital where lives are on the line 24/7 is more than a little stupid and irresponsible. It just takes one not-so-clean syringe to f**k things up, and doctors and nurses should know better than to practice such irresponsibility for the sake of cutting budget corners while risking a patient’s health.
In Alberta there have been two incidences of healthcare practitioners re-using syringes.
The latest reported incident involves a physician who is working in Vermilion and Lloydminster hospitals, but according to Alberta’s acting medical officer of health the public shouldn’t be alarmed. Who the f**k in the Premier Brian Stelmach’s government approved Dr. Gerry Predy as acting medical officer, that’s what I want to know. It is a concern, and Albertans should be worried about doctors and hospitals re-using syringes whether they are put directly into patients or not.
If hospitals and doctors have to re-use syringes then there is something terribly wrong with the healthcare system, and while people might be quick to point fingers at government funding for hospitals, the first place I would be pointing fingers at is the morons who are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for running the hospitals, and of course the doctors who think working in healthcare is a cash-cow for them, where they see 40 or 50 patients a week or just 10. The thing about doctors is they think their take home pay should increase as often as a patient walks through an office, clinic or hospital door. They are never satisfied.
I am not surprised that hospital administrators, doctors and nurses have to re-use syringes these days given that they would much rather have that bigger pay check at the expense of health and lives.
Dr. Predy is telling the Albertan public not to worry about it, but I really doubt that when it comes right down to it he would hardly allow somebody to treat him with a syringe that has been used more than a few times.
Then there’s the insurance companies who insure the hospitals. How much does anybody want to bet that after hearing that a couple of hospitals in Alberta are re-using syringes, they’re reconsidering the premiums they charge for things like malpractice insurance.
The public should be very alarmed by this.
What’s even more ridiculous about Dr. Predy’s statement is that he made it while 2700 former patients of the High Prairie Health Complex are being tested for HIV and hepatitis. I wonder how much that is going to cost Alberta taxpayers, or is that covered by the hospital’s insurance package?
Dr. Predy is a moron, and whoever helped him into his lofty position has a lot of explaining to do. It doesn’t sound to me like Dr. Predy is capable enough of being a nurse’s aide let alone a doctor.
22 responses so far ↓
1 Dear To Toronto // Nov 3, 2008 at 7:42 AM
Hello, I have a new blog (for and about new comers / immigrants to Canada); pl. leave a comment: http://deartotoronto.blogspot.com
I have added your blog in my neighborhood (blog roll)!!! Will you reciprocate.
Best, MT
CG says:
Hey MT. I added the link to Dear to Toronto to my homepage. You’ll find it under Link Swap in the left sidebar.
2 nj // Nov 11, 2008 at 11:42 AM
hi,
I’m really dissapointed with your blog considering how many facts you’ve missed about Mikhail Lennikov.
First off, who says he came here illegaly?! He came here on a student visa. He was applying for permanent residency and it was HIM who cofessed to the canadian government about his past so he could prove his loyalty to Canada. Do you even understand what he did forthe KGB? He translated documents..never realized that posed much of threat. He was pickedby the KGB upon his graduation forhis ability to speak japanese, he tried to quit and when he managed to , he was seen as a disgrace so he began recieving threats,its why he came here, to escape this. As for your comments on immigrataion…just to let you know Canada is built on immigration, no its not right forsomeone to wlak in here illegally, but if someone did evrything right and has been law abiding for the 10 YEARS theyve been here, leave them alone. Go focus on real criminals, what about those rapists and murderers lving among us because of our law system. But no,we are going to deport a family who has had to go through enough trauma. Do youeven understand the magnitude of them going back, You know what it means to go prison in russia for 20 yaers because you told the truth about your past to a canadian govt. have you even though of his 17 year oldson, who’s hard earned education (hes an a student who volunteers his time to tutoring, drama writing for newspapers) who will be inducted into the military as his canadian eduction means nothing there and its the law. They are only being deported because theres a law that says th govt can dothat,but the govt and obviously ppllike youas well choose to miss the facts as if they arent even there! unbelievable. The day they go back, canada would be wise to hold its head in shame. I suggest you start reading the facts, they arent even that hard to find! mikahilhas even gone tothe extent of posting all of his govt documents on the internet! you cant even read those?!
CG says:
First of off, if you’re disappointed with my blog read somebody elses. Nobody is holding a GSh-18 pistol to your head and forcing you to read Crooked in Canada.
As for the facts, the only fact that matters to me is the one that says he was less than forthcoming about his military experience. I don’t care if he translated documents or cleaned toilets for the KGB, the fact is he was less than honest when applying for permanent residency in Canada, or whatever it was he was applying for.
Pull your head in buddy and find a better cause. You bleeding hearts are all alike, you always want to believe the best in the those people who lie and manipulate their way into Canada, especially after they are discovered.
By the way what does this country being built on immigration have to do with immigration policies and procedures today mate? Absolutely nothing pal.
Maybe you should spend less time reading only one side of the story and spend a little more time weighing both sides of the case.
You should be holding your head in shame mate, or are you one of those people who doesn’t care about an immigrants ties to foreign militaries and spy agencies. Has it ever occurred to you that his translation duties were a cover for something else, or do you live in a box when it comes to such things?
Regards,
CG
3 nj // Nov 11, 2008 at 5:04 PM
“only fact that matters to me is the one that says he was less than forthcoming about his military experience.”
Whats interesting here is that your fact isn’treallymuch of a fact as it is NOT true.
I thought this was emphasized before, but here I go again: he was indeed forthcoming because he gave every detail about his past when applying for permanent residency, again he wasn’t “discovered” he gave the his past over.
Reading both sides of the story?! Thanks, done that and I’ve made my mind up, by the way i think i’ve done a lot more research into this than you judging by your information, or lack of. If he had spying intentions,you think he wouldve done something by now instead waiting a decade. Btw,how many spies do you know that confess theirjobs to the gov’t? (waitnevermid, you want to ignore that fact even exists even though the govt even admits it was him who confessed).
I’ll however heed to your adviceof ignoring your blogs, i thought after reading a few things you had some credability but thanks for proving me wrong. I also think its sad that instead of taking my comments as constructive critism and encouragment go and do some actual research (which i suggest youdo,because with this info im not the only one is getting irritated by your lack of knowledge on this topic) youseem to have the need tocall me a bleeeding heart and what not. Believe ornot, someone other than yourself may perhpas know that they’re talking about. shocking..i know
CG says
Lol, thanks for stopping by for a second time.
4 Girlfriend of Former High Ranking KGB Agent’s Son Pays Visit to Crooked in Canada to Show Her Support // Nov 12, 2008 at 5:05 PM
[...] Jaswal left a comment after reading an article about her boyfriend’s father in Crooked in Canada. The comment was in reference to a former senior ex-KGB agent who in four [...]
5 Anonymous // Nov 13, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Dear CG,
First off, I would like to take this opportunity to express my disbelief and concern that there are actually people like you in the world. I absolutely concur with NJ that your facts are completely back asswards. It’s completely fine by me if you want to express your opinion about this whole situation but before you start blogging, get your story straight! Now if you have done your research, which I have!! you’ll realize that Mikhail Lennikov came to Canada on a student visa and that when he did apply for permanent residence he did declare that he used to work for the KGB. You are a downright hypocrite saying NJ was not looking at both sides of the story. “only fact that matters to me is the one that says he was less than forthcoming about his military experience.” and “or whatever it was he was applying for.” clearly demonstrates to me as a reader of your blog that you are definitely not considering both sides of the story!! and that you do not know the whole story or even the right story at all!
As for calling NJ the girlfriend of Dmitri Lennikov, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourself!!! First of all, not once has it been published in a reliable publication or website ( which, might I mention, yours is not), that Jaswal was Dmitri Lennikov’s girlfriend. Has it ever occured to you that she was doing all of this out of the goodness of her heart! Which is why I do truly feel concern and some pity for cynics like you, who personally attack high school students and blog about their opinion based on completely false facts.
Also I’d like to inform Jaswal and you that she could possibly sue you for defamation on accounts of writing statements about her personal life on no sort of basis whatsoever. I’d also like to say that the only people crooked in Canada, are hypocrites like yourself.
-Anonymous
CG says
Anonymous posters are amusing, and have no “real standing” in Crooked in Canada and in some cases I will approve their comments as I have approved this one.
Also I’d like to inform Jaswal and you that she could possibly sue you for defamation on accounts of writing statements about her personal life on no sort of basis whatsoever.
I hope you haven’t pinned all your hopes on a law degree because you would be wasting your time and money pursuing such a degree if the above quote is to be taken seriously.
6 BM // Nov 13, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Ok first of all u really need to listen to what she says she giving you valuable information that you can correct yourself with but instead you decided to be pig headed and debate facts that you are too lazy to look up. And how low can you get, are you really one of those annoying, lying people who write articles based on lies. I mean really he’s obviously loyal to Canada because he confessed and he wouldn’t be trying so hard to stay if he was planning something he had enough time to do something. And like she said his son who is furthering his education and is doing a lot for his school has to come home and read crap like this. I cannot believe you want to throw out a family because of something his father was a part of in the past which, what was it again Translations or communication. You should be ashamed of yourself tell you what when you’re done reading your comic book then come talk to me with a real report.
CG says
Lol, it would appear that I touched a nerve.
Facts? What facts, Lennikov’s or Nazampal’s?
The only facts I’m concerned about are the facts on Lennikov’s immigration application, or lack thereof.
7 Su Lacognz // Dec 16, 2008 at 2:58 PM
… except you have your facts totally bass-ackwards. Fact is, Mr. Lennikov in fact DID disclose ALL the facts about his KGB background, has in fact been debriefed by CSIS AND the ver government arm that is trying to get him deported (and is further advising the Minister of Public Safety not to overrule their decision) has admitted, after extensive investigation, that they have no rational logical reason or evidence to support their preference for him to be deported. You’re are harbouring an opinion that is completely at odds with the facts in this case.
CG says
Nope, not quite, he brought the facts forward after the fact. He didn’t disclose shit until he was called on it. Nice try.
8 ej // Dec 16, 2008 at 3:02 PM
you really need to get the story straight buddy, lennikov revealed right off the bat about his past with the KGB, and has been absolutely transparent. It is definitely unbelievable that there are people like you, that think like you in this country, just in case you haven’t realized that, and its quite evident you don’t think with any bit of intelligence. You’re an immigrant to, everyone of your ancestor are as well, and you are right nj, Canadians do need to wake the f**k up and rid our country of intolerant, ignorant asses like you. You make me sick.
CG says
Actually he wasn’t transparent, his KGB ties came to light first, and then the rest of his association was coaxed out of him. He wasn’t up front in the beginning.
ej’s comment has been edited, if only because he or she was coming across as a little more than “unedumicated” in their rant. Editing ej’s comment makes him or her sound a little more intelligent than he suggested nj might not be. Hope you’re okay with that ej.
9 Concerned Canadian // Dec 16, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Canadians who want the Lennikovs to stay first have to ask themselves what are the conditions for exemption of section 34(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Or should this section even be repealed? CBSA is doing it’s job by enforcing this part of the act, however harsh or cold-hearted it may seem.
CG says
I read the ten page document their lawyers submitted. The document reveals what the Mikhail wants the CBSA to believe, but it doesn’t explain why he was in possession of false passports and birth certificates, but I may have missed that part and will review the document again and get back to you.
The bottom-line is he rose up through the ranks (captain no less), and for somebody who didn’t want to be there he didn’t have any problem rising up through the ranks did he, as was the case when he was a member of Komsomol rising to leader of that group no less.
You would think that somebody’s whose heart wasn’t “in it” so to speak would have chosen either industry or politics after graduating from Komsomol, but he put in for the KGB and was accepted. Don’t give me that shit that he was forced into becoming a KGB officer after he graduated from Komsomol.
He knew exactly what he was getting into. And another thing, when did the Soviet Union and KGB collapse, it was 1991 for the Soviet Union, and the same for the KGB too wasn’t it. Many also blamed the KGB for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Wasn’t Lennikov a member of the KGB then, I’m sure he was.
Lennikov arrived in Canada 7 years after the collapse. I wonder what took him so long.
Ya think he might have wanted to try his luck in organized crime, after all he was fluent in Japanese and he would have been an asset to any organized crime organization with former KGB members in it who just happened to doing with Japanese organized crime members wanting to set up shop in the collapsed Soviet Union. It’s a possibility, but one that would be literally impossible to prove right?
Isn’t it interesting how he managed to end up British Columbia, Vancouver-Burnaby. Is there not a thriving Japanese population there too? And apparently he has done quite well for himself. I wonder what assets he brought into Canada with him, and where those assets came from.
I could go on and on with different theories about this clown mate, but I’m sure you understand the point I’m trying to make when I say, “Hey, everybody has a story to tell when their future in Canada is on the line. It’s up to the authorities to decide who they are going to believe.” There is more to this story than just what the Lennikovs are telling their lawyers, unfortunately confidentiality because of our “national security” prevents us from hearing the story on the other side of the fence, whether that story could be considered credible or not.
For me, I am going to err on the side of caution and suggest to you that yes he should be booted out of the country. Guilt by association and all that kind of shit. His kid, well I guess I’ll just call him collateral damage, but I really don’t think he should be kicked out of the country for something his father did. I’m on the fence when it comes to his mother, but somehow I think she has some secrets of her own, but being smart about it she was able to cover her tracks. What do you think?
I read the document twice, and I am left with this thought; if the Russians wanted him dead, and if we are to believe the story about this other Russian he happened to bump into who was in Canada for a “vacation”, do you not think he would be dead by now given what he know about certain Russians. And what about the man who arrived on his doorstep unexpectedly, do you think that man wouldn’t have seized on the opportunity to take him out.
His story is far-fetched at best, and would make for a good movie if he was murdered by former KGB operatives don’t you think?
The Russians had seven years to kill him in Russia before he fled to Canada, and then they had a few years to kill him here. Either they are getting soft or they are bumbling idiots. You make the call.
10 SSellinger // Dec 16, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Get your facts right. Mikhail Lennikov openly disclosed his affiliation with the KGB when he arrived in Canada. Border services does not dispute that. In addition, in their report to the Minister of Safety they admit there is no evidence that he is a ‘sleeper.’ If you can’t get that base information correct than the rest of your story is pure crap.
CG says, and for the last time,
His KGB affiliation only came to light after it was coaxed out of him. He failed to disclose his KGB links to immigration, that’s what got him into trouble in the first place. He knew that if he disclosed his KGB links he wouldn’t have been allowed to remain in Canada, as Canada isn’t in the habit of of letting somebody with such links remain in the country. You have your sources in the media, and I have mine. It boils down to who you are going to believe, the people supporting Lennikov, or the people who are not supporting Lennikov.
11 SSellinger // Dec 16, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Funny, coax is not a word that the Border Services uses in describing how the information was attained. More like ‘openly disclosed’. Since your information indicating he remains a risk is so sound you should share it with the Canadian Government. Again, their report to the Minister indicates that they have no grounds to believe he has ever shared information with the KGB while he resided in Japan or since he has lived in Canada. But you obviously know better.
CG says
Read my response to your first comment.
12 Whistler // Dec 16, 2008 at 6:11 PM
To bad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NdBHUXo2k0
So I guess that you’re fine with Mr.Lennikov’s son going through this. Why would inflict this this on a teenager who was raised in Canada?
CG says
He should be blaming his father shouldn’t he? If it wasn’t for his father none of this would be happening to him, now would it? Pretty easy to blame somebody else for this especially when you can point the finger at the feds for trying to enforce immigration laws. I’m sure it sucks for Dimitri. Too bad we can’t pick our parents.
13 bob // Dec 16, 2008 at 7:00 PM
good evening
Just saw the cbc news re; Lennikov and his trials and tribulations in Canada. Simply put, I say
go home! Am I cruel? No, let me explain, if this man had been a member of the NAZI party he would have been already in Berlin. Dont give me that “Ive been here 11 years blah blah There have been cases of person who were nationalized and living 50 years in the USA and Australia and Argentina of ex-nazis who were stripped of their new nationality and deported. This man is not a Canadian. He says he worries of his son being conscripted in the Russian army and not surviving… How then if its sooo bad, how did he survive?? Also he worries of being accused a traitor, come on, the Soviet Union no longers exists. Thy wont even remember him unless he is trying to hide from something he has done in the past. He was a member of a brutal organization that ruined and ended the lives of many of her citizens. I like the spy angle, good move, but Im not buying it.
If the son has legal residence status in Canada he could stay,he is 17 , let them stay until he son turns 18. It has nothing to do with him, he is not gulty of the sins of his father. But his father must go. Ask one of your Ukrainian neighbours about the 5 million who died of starvation. Canada
is a moral country and must set an example!
CG says
I just published another blog entry regarding this story, and I agree that the son shouldn’t be held accountable for his father’s actions. I also question if he is a nobody in the KGB, than why is he saying that he will be called a traitor. For somebody who was a nobody that’s quite a label to be stuck with wouldn’t you agree?
I’m not buying into his story either mate, but for whatever reasons there seems to be a lot of Canadians with blinders on, and I suspect most of the are either of Russian descent, or citizens of a country that aligns themselves with the former communist country today, and in the past. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
14 W. J. Lawson // Dec 17, 2008 at 6:00 AM
The legal facts in this matter clear. Canadian Immigration’s own documents show that this man was totally forthcoming about his Russian military past and the family was let into Canada LEGALLY by Canadian Immigration. Now 11 years later they want him to leave? Whoever is running this site should really get their facts straight. Some of the people here coming out in favor of the our Immigration in this case sound like some back woods Americans I went up against a few years ago.
CG says
What you state is not true. He entered into Canada carrying false passports and birth certificates, and he never mention his KGB ties at that time of entry. Two years later he filed for for permanent residency visas and that’s when he was forthcoming about his KGB past.
Those are the facts.
15 Mat // Dec 17, 2008 at 8:13 AM
I really hate to be an arse, Mr. all-knowing CG, but from where do YOU get your facts? So far the CBC has proven more reliable, citing actual documentation. You just assert that this is all rubbish and that the truth is you present. So far all you’ve manged to prove is that you can restate things you’ve already said which contradict the established facts.
CG says
Actually I’m surprised that CBC didn’t mention that Lennikov entered into Canada with his family carrying false passports and birth certificates, and I’m astonished that if you were watching the CBC and listening to their facts that you didn’t hear mention that the truth about his KGB past didn’t come out until after he applied for permanent residency status, which by the way was two years after her arrived in Canada. My facts can be Googled and gleaned from a plethora of information on the Internet. Check it all out mate, starting with immigration charges against Lennikov.
To help get you started mate.
http://www.workpermit.com/news/2007_02_01/canada/ex-kgb_agent_deported.htm
Just an observation, but have you noticed that not too many people are disputing “the facts” as you like to call them with me. Give me a break buddy, and pay attention, it all comes down to who you are going to believe, and I am on the side that says Lennikov must go.
And you get your facts from CBC, that is too f**king funny. I’d trust a Liberal tabloid before I trusted the CBC for facts.
16 Ukrainian Canadian » KGB Lennikovs to be deported back to Russia // Feb 28, 2009 at 3:49 AM
[...] issue received lots of press in the Fall, mostly sympathetic to the Lennikovs but some not. Last week Ukemonde pointed out an Op-Ed in the Winnipeg Press called “KGB killers enjoy [...]
17 Christine // Mar 1, 2009 at 1:27 AM
At 3 p.m., February 26, Canadian Border Services
informed Mikhail Lennikov was informed that the Minister of Public
Safety, Mr. Peter Van Loan, has upheld the original deportation order
and the family–Mikhail, his wife, Irina, and 17 year old son,
Dmitri–are be sent back to Russia as soon as possible.
The Minister’s decision was based on his judgement that, because
Mikhail once served in the KGB, his presence in Canada represents a
threat to this country’s security.
Despite the obvious reality that saying “no” to being recruited by
the KGB wasn’t exactly a “live option” in those days when Russia was
part of the Soviet Union; nor that Mikhail resigned from the KGB
after a few years because of his moral objection to what he was being
asked to do, and did so knowing that “resigning” from the KGB would
henceforth put his personal and family welfare at significant risk;
despite the fact that Mikhail voluntarily and publicly declared his
KGB connection on his application for Permanent Residency Status and
was subsequently interviewed at length by CSIS, thereby earning
himself the status of a “traitor” to Russia (for which he will most
likely be persecuted and imprisoned upon his return); despite the
fact that the family has lived in Canada for almost 11 years during
which time Mikhail and Irina have contributed to the welfare of this
country through study, steady employment and lives that are law-
abiding and constructive; despite the fact that their son, Dmitri, is
only 4 months from high school graduation and the clear and present
danger to him that, upon his return to Russia, he will be drafted
into the Russian army, and will face potentially life-threatening
hazing due to his father’s actions in “collaborating” with CSIS;
despite the strong groundswell of public support (fueled by
considerable media coverage) which has been generated over the past
six months asking for the Minister to grant the family Permanent
Residency Status on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds–despite
all of that and more, it seems that none of these reasons were
sufficiently compelling enough for the Minister to overturn the
deportation order.
And if that action was not enough, the process over the last week
makes it even more shocking and shameful. Listen to this and judge
for yourselves:
This past Tuesday, February 24, information came to the Lennikovs
from someone in the office of the Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration (who had only received the file from the Minister of
Public Safety days before) “suggesting” (recommending) that the
members of the family file new applications for Permanent Residency
Status, the implication being that the Minister would look favourably
on such a step.
Thus, on Wednesday, February 25, the three of them did exactly that:
Completed and submitted all the forms (including photos), paid the
required fees (around $1,500.00–an amount which included the $400
fee for renewing their present status which was scheduled to end on
February 28), and returned home in a bouyant and hopeful spirit. . .a
mood fostered by the direction given them by Jason Kenney’s office.
On Thursday morning, Mikhail was informed of a 3 p.m. meeting which
he attended with his lawyer at which the Minister’s decision would be
announced. However, there was no one present at this meeting from
Citizenship and Immigration. Instead, the government official
present was from Canadian Border Services–the very agency which had
already denied their original application for PRS more than five
years ago and rejected every appeal since.
But what is most reprehensible, even incomprehensible, about all of
this is that the letter confirming the deportation order was signed
by the Minister of Public Safety and dated February 24 (Tuesday).
In other words, the very day that the family was encouraged by
someone from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to file
documents–documents (and encouragement) which gave hope to the
family that they might be permitted to stay–the Minister of Public
Safety had already made up his mind and signed the order for them to
leave.
Several possible conclusions may be drawn from these facts–none of
them flattering whatsoever to the Canadian government:
1. The two government ministries–Citizenship and Immigration and
Public Safety–had no contact with each other and neither knew what
the other was doing. The common-sense conclusion to be drawn from
this scenario is that this was and is bureaucratic incompetence and
ineptness at the highest level. To be plain: The left hand did not
know what the right hand was doing.
2. The two government ministries knew exactly what each other was
doing–which makes the final outcome incredibly cruel and heartless.
Leading the family to spend $1500 in the hope of being able to stay
while knowing full well that this was not going to happen can only be
seen as indescribably shameful and deceitful.
3. That the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Mr. Jason
Kenney, has had his office, responsibility and authority deliberately
or unwittingly undercut by the action of the Minister of Public
Safety, Mr. Peter Van Loan. I can only imagine the feeling of
embarrassment, disappointment, frustration or even outright anger
felt by Mr. Kenney at learning what his counterpart had done to him
and his office behind his back and that he never saw it coming.
4. That President George Bush’s hysteria regarding “national
security” continues unabated in the Conservative government policies
and that President Barak Obama’s “politics of change and hope” have
virtually no sway at all–despite the photo-ops and grand words
spoken by our Prime Minister at the recent meeting of the two leaders
in Ottawa. So much for this government’s claims of “transparency”
and “openness” and “responsiveness”. Indeed, their backroom bungling
or secretive actions put the lie to their public words.
5. That hundreds of high school students and thousands of concerned
citizens have received a harsh and painful civics lesson in
“realpolitik”–namely, that going through all the right channels,
following all the legal routes, writing, signing petitions and
rallying public support and involvement–that none of these has had
any positive results, other than a morale boost for the Lennikovs.
One can only imagine the skepticism (at best) and cynicism (at worst)
that now fills the hearts and spirits of all young and old, potential-
voters and voters, immigrants, refugees and “made-in-Canada”
residents alike who believed that their participation could and would
change things. Indeed, far more understandable now is why people,
especially young people, refuse to join in or choose to drop out of
the political system. After all, why vote? Why make your voice
heard? What difference will it make?
Last night, when I, as their pastor, met with the Lennikovs and heard
their news, a wave of emotions swept over me–ranging from outrage to
sadness to shame (at the way my country and its leaders have handled
this case and dealt with these three human beings)–emotions that I
have not felt so viscerally and painfully since my student days in
the US during the Civil Rights Movement and the Anti-War movement.
It seems depressingly clear to me once again as it was once before
that people of goodwill who choose to rally round a cause that is
just and right have little (or no) hope of changing a political
system, let alone even being listened to or heard by those in power–
at least in this country in these times.
After all, while the Minister of Public Safety publicly rails against
“gang warfare” and “shooting on our streets” and “increasing
violence”, he finds it politically expedient to quietly and
underhandedly deport people who have committed no crimes and, because
of their honesty, could or do present no real or perceived threat to
our nation’s security or safety. Shame on him and shame on all in
our government who are involved in this miscarriage of justice. Shame!
I will write more later on after I have had time to speak more with
the Lennikovs who are meeting with their lawyer today to discuss any
other avenues which can be explored. But I did want to get this out
as soon as I could today to let people know what has happened.
Dylan Thomas once wrote about the approach of death: “Do not go
gentle into that good night / Rage, rage against the dying of the
light”.
All I can say this morning to myself, to all of you and to the
members of this family are those words, spoken and written in the
hope that this is not the end of the story, that we cannot and will
not give up on this or give up on them.
Peace be with you all.
18 CG // Mar 1, 2009 at 9:51 AM
The bottomline-He was deceptive when he applied for his immigration status. That would lead me to believe that he has something to hide, that the isn’t exactly the guy he portrays himself to be. He got what he deserved.
He’s good to go for a few more years though, by the time he exhausts all his avenues to appeal the decision, and all that other crap that non-Canadians are entitled to.
19 an actual journalist // Mar 11, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Where do you get the information on false passports? I have been doing research about this and have yet to uncover anything about false passports? If you have this information I would love to know where you got it from?
Otherwise I will assume it just came out of your ass, along with the rest of your comments.
20 CG // Mar 11, 2009 at 8:41 PM
You lost me mate. Where did I say Lennikov had a false passport? I couldn’t find that claim in anything I have written about Lennikov. Are you working on a high school project or something?
21 an actual journalist // Mar 12, 2009 at 1:18 AM
Obviously you don’t even read your rants before posting. check your post:
http://crookedincanada.com/2008/12/16/mikhail-lennikovs-imminent-deportation-popular-in-crooked-in-canada-today/
If you can’t be bothered to read the whole thing, it is near the bottom:
…it isn’t is fault his father was deceptive and carrying false passports and birth certificates when he came to Canada then decided to come clean about his KGB affiliation a couple of years later when he applied for his residency visa…
As you were saying about false passports?
22 CG // Mar 12, 2009 at 7:53 AM
Lol, shit happens mate. Just a mix-up between two morons who were facing deportation from Canada. Josip Budimcic is the idiot with the false passport and travel documentation, though just in case you’re wondering, Lennikov would have been travelling on falsified documents too, especially since to travel or come to Canada to live, he would have deceived immigration about his KGB past, thereby rendering his Canadian travel documents fraudulent. Just so you know, the blog post you refer to has been edited.
Thanks for your copy writing expertise. Good luck with that journalism career.