YVR flights could be disrupted due to 2,000 or protesters blocking the arrival area
Dec 10, 2007, 3:20 pm
#1
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YVR flights could be disrupted due to 2,000 or protesters blocking the arrival area
some of the 2,000 or so protestors have threatened to block flights if the person they are protecting from deportation is boarded onto a flight.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...3d1430&k=36929
The South Asian-Canadian community flexed its considerable muscles Monday, promising to abandon the Conservatives and boycott any airline that participates in the deportation af Laibar Singh.
More than 2,000 people showed up at Vancouver International Airport to protest the imminent deportation of Singh, a paralysed man who the government said entered the country illegally.
The protesters surrounded Singh's taxi when it arrived, blocking off the road at the International departure area. Traffic was stalled, leaving passengers having to abandon cars at the entrance to the area.
Singh, who the protesters were told is too ill to travel, was trapped in his taxi as well as people crowded around and chanted for him to remain in Canada.
A dozen RCMP officers stood at the rear of the crowd waiting patiently for instructions as YVR management tried to convince protesters to move aside.
"Is the Canadian government going to continiue with an unjust deportation or are they going to hear us," said Harsha Walia, one of the protest organizers.
"We will boycott any airline that takes him back," said Harpal Nagra, another protest organizer, to cheers from the crowd.
It was the Conservative government that got the roughest treatment, as protesters roared thunderously when Nagra said they should all vote for someone else in the next federal election.
Protesters raised the spectre of disrupting the Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong if Laibar Singh is placed on it.
And the head of the temple that sheltered Singh said it is now up to the Canadian Border Services Agency to wade into the crowd to retrieve Singh.
"We delivered him to the airport at 11:30 as CBSA told us to, but they have to go and get him with their medical team," said Surdev Singh Jatana, the general-secretary of the Gurdwara Kalgidhar Darbar Sahib Society.
"He's got the support of the entire community."
Airport officials said they were awaiting instructions from CBSA but confirmed that the agency's responsibility for Singh started from the taxi he's sitting in.
But there were hundreds of angry supporters between him and the terminal.
Airport security managed to reroute people arriving at the departure terminals but the upper level road remains blocked by protesters.
Security turned around dozens of cars, buses and taxis stuck behind the crowd and are now diverting all other arrivals to the Level 2 one floor below.
YVR says at this point no flights have been delayed because of the protest.
The Canada Border Services Agency told leaders of the protest that they won't go out to the taxi and retrieve Singh because they believe people will get violent, according to one of the leaders.
Harsha Walia said CBSA was trying to cast Singh's supporters as violent but she admitted that if officers were to try to get to him they would face angry crowds.
Faith St. John, a spokeswoman for CBSA said she couldn't comment on the specifics of any case. But she said she was aware that in this case there are developments taking place on several fronts. She declined to elaborate.
Walia said any discomfort Singh is experiencing in the taxi is nothing to the trouble he will face on flights back to India lasting upwards of 24 hours.
Singh entered Canada from India travelling on phoney documents, and later suffered a stroke that left him paralysed. He is a failed refugee claimant who briefly sought refuge in a Sikh temple in Abbotsford. Despite an outpouring of support from Abbotsford's Sikh community, he lost all subsequent appeals to remain in Canada.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...3d1430&k=36929
The South Asian-Canadian community flexed its considerable muscles Monday, promising to abandon the Conservatives and boycott any airline that participates in the deportation af Laibar Singh.
More than 2,000 people showed up at Vancouver International Airport to protest the imminent deportation of Singh, a paralysed man who the government said entered the country illegally.
The protesters surrounded Singh's taxi when it arrived, blocking off the road at the International departure area. Traffic was stalled, leaving passengers having to abandon cars at the entrance to the area.
Singh, who the protesters were told is too ill to travel, was trapped in his taxi as well as people crowded around and chanted for him to remain in Canada.
A dozen RCMP officers stood at the rear of the crowd waiting patiently for instructions as YVR management tried to convince protesters to move aside.
"Is the Canadian government going to continiue with an unjust deportation or are they going to hear us," said Harsha Walia, one of the protest organizers.
"We will boycott any airline that takes him back," said Harpal Nagra, another protest organizer, to cheers from the crowd.
It was the Conservative government that got the roughest treatment, as protesters roared thunderously when Nagra said they should all vote for someone else in the next federal election.
Protesters raised the spectre of disrupting the Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong if Laibar Singh is placed on it.
And the head of the temple that sheltered Singh said it is now up to the Canadian Border Services Agency to wade into the crowd to retrieve Singh.
"We delivered him to the airport at 11:30 as CBSA told us to, but they have to go and get him with their medical team," said Surdev Singh Jatana, the general-secretary of the Gurdwara Kalgidhar Darbar Sahib Society.
"He's got the support of the entire community."
Airport officials said they were awaiting instructions from CBSA but confirmed that the agency's responsibility for Singh started from the taxi he's sitting in.
But there were hundreds of angry supporters between him and the terminal.
Airport security managed to reroute people arriving at the departure terminals but the upper level road remains blocked by protesters.
Security turned around dozens of cars, buses and taxis stuck behind the crowd and are now diverting all other arrivals to the Level 2 one floor below.
YVR says at this point no flights have been delayed because of the protest.
The Canada Border Services Agency told leaders of the protest that they won't go out to the taxi and retrieve Singh because they believe people will get violent, according to one of the leaders.
Harsha Walia said CBSA was trying to cast Singh's supporters as violent but she admitted that if officers were to try to get to him they would face angry crowds.
Faith St. John, a spokeswoman for CBSA said she couldn't comment on the specifics of any case. But she said she was aware that in this case there are developments taking place on several fronts. She declined to elaborate.
Walia said any discomfort Singh is experiencing in the taxi is nothing to the trouble he will face on flights back to India lasting upwards of 24 hours.
Singh entered Canada from India travelling on phoney documents, and later suffered a stroke that left him paralysed. He is a failed refugee claimant who briefly sought refuge in a Sikh temple in Abbotsford. Despite an outpouring of support from Abbotsford's Sikh community, he lost all subsequent appeals to remain in Canada.
Dec 10, 2007, 3:32 pm
#2
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Yes, this crowd of thugs tied up access to the int'l terminal for hours with no regard to anyone else, though I wouldn't have expected any less
Dec 10, 2007, 3:42 pm
#3
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http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...3d1430&k=36929
As of 2:00 p.m. Vancouver International Airport officials said that the Canadian Border Services Agency bent to the will of protesters and temporarily lifted the deportation order for Laibar Singh.
As of 2:00 p.m. Vancouver International Airport officials said that the Canadian Border Services Agency bent to the will of protesters and temporarily lifted the deportation order for Laibar Singh.
Dec 10, 2007, 3:55 pm
#5
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people in the indo canadian community claim that certain people have plegdged financial support for the guys medical expenses, but then they havent produced concrete proof of such support.
Dec 10, 2007, 4:21 pm
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Dec 10, 2007, 4:40 pm
#8
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Similar to those who enter the US illegally, I believe those who enter Canada illegally should be deported. This man is in a sad situation, but he chose to enter Canada without proper documents.
Dec 10, 2007, 4:46 pm
#9
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Reverse Komagata Maru. More power to them.
Dec 10, 2007, 4:56 pm
#10
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Which also reminds the case with Chinese smuggler Lai Chang-Hsing, who haven't been deported and waster our tax dollars for 8-9 years already.
The action by Indo-Canadian community simply proves the "controversial racist" comment by the commentator (sorry forgot the name
) over Vancouver Radio's airwaves 2-3 months ago.
The action by Indo-Canadian community simply proves the "controversial racist" comment by the commentator (sorry forgot the name
) over Vancouver Radio's airwaves 2-3 months ago.
Dec 10, 2007, 5:15 pm
#11
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Which also reminds the case with Chinese smuggler Lai Chang-Hsing, who haven't been deported and waster our tax dollars for 8-9 years already.
The action by Indo-Canadian community simply proves the "controversial racist" comment by the commentator (sorry forgot the name ) over Vancouver Radio's airwaves 2-3 months ago.
The action by Indo-Canadian community simply proves the "controversial racist" comment by the commentator (sorry forgot the name
) over Vancouver Radio's airwaves 2-3 months ago.
Dec 10, 2007, 6:43 pm
#12
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Considering that there are many people out there who should be deported from this country that are not, if the country actually decides to deport someone, it is likely way overdue.
Dec 10, 2007, 6:56 pm
#13
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I have no objections to the deportation.
Dec 10, 2007, 7:13 pm
#14
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Simply shocked - and disappointed at the hardline approach taken by each of the posters above. I have finally been able to put a face to some of the names - and they are not a pretty sight.
Dec 10, 2007, 7:40 pm
#15
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Thank you since I have short memory 
IMO, if these "protestors" are doing hardline approach tactic (follow our own rule, not your Canadian rule), us the general public should take a hard stance. If they want us to pay sympathy to them because of their health condition, they should pay sympathy to their targets first before committing a crime to satisfy their need.
Canada is not the safe haven for any criminals, domestically or abroad. Especially with these criminals wasting our tax money.
Canada is not the safe haven for any criminals, domestically or abroad. Especially with these criminals wasting our tax money.
Last edited by jimyvr; Dec 10, 2007 at 7:46 pm