Between January 25-29, 2008, eleven cities across Canada participated in actions, delegations and events in solidarity with Laibar Singh. Activities were held in Halifax, Fredericton, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto, Guelph, London and Vancouver/Surrey. Together, from Halifax to Vancouver, Laibar’s supporters were demanding that the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Minister Stockwell Day respect Laibar Singh’s sanctuary, and that Laibar be granted permanent residency. Across the Canadian state, protesters were showing their solidarity with the inspiring mobilizations, led by the South Asian community, in support of Laibar. The national actions also aimed to counter the racist backlash against Laibar Singh and the South Asian community, due to deliberate misinformation by the CBSA and some media outlets.

-> A PHOTO-REPORT from the National Days of Action in Support of Laibar Singh HERE.
-> VIDEO: Demonstration in support of Laibar Singh and Kader Belaouni at the Greater Toronto Enforcement Center
-> A NEWS COMPILATION relating to Laibar Singh is linked HERE.

No double standard, say Sikh supporters of failed refugee claimant. David Carrigg
The Province. Monday, January 28, 2008

Supporters of failed refugee claimant Laibar Singh are mounting a campaign to ensure Sikh temples continue to offer the same sanctuary a church provides. “Violating the sanctuary of a gurudwara [temple] while the sanctuary of churches has largely been respected will set a dangerous double standard,” Cynthia Wright, of York University’s school of women’s studies in Toronto, said in a statement. Singh, who has twice avoided deportation as a result of protests by his supporters, is living in Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh temple in the belief the government will not enter and remove him.

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NATIONAL DAYS OF ACTION IN ELEVEN CITIES TO SUPPORT LAIBAR SINGH.
– Demand that CBSA and Stockwell Day Respect Sanctuary!
– Support the South Asian community in its courageous mobilizing!
– Take an active stand against the racist backlash!
– Permanent residency status for Laibar Singh now!

VANCOUVER/SURREY: EVENING VIGIL. SUNDAY JANUARY 27TH AT 4 PM AT SURREY GURU NANAK GURUDWARA. Corner of 72nd and 120th Ave aka Scott Road. Email: noii-van at resist.ca or call 604 779 7430

TRANSPORT ON SUNDAY
– Rides are available from Safeway Parking Lot (Broadway and Commercial) at 3 pm. Seats must be confirmed with Andrea at andr_e_a at hotmail.com or call 778 999 9219 or 604 568 7430. Rides back will also be provided. If you have a vehicle that is available (gas covered) for rides on Sunday, please do get in touch with Andrea, we need at least 6 more vehicles, thanks!

– Alternatively, take the skytrain (blue Millenium Line) to Scott Road Station (about 20 minutes ride from Broadway Skytrain Station) and there will be carpools from Bay 1 Bus Loop at Scott Road Station (look for people with signs) starting at 3:45 pm. Call 604 779 7430 for questions.

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Despite popular perception and depiction, a wide range of supporters beyond the South Asian community support Mr. Singh including the Canadian Labour Congress, Hospital Employees Union, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, McGill Refugee Research Project,  Council of Canadians BC/Yukon Chapter, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Multifaith Action Committee, Canadian Muslim Union, Jesuit Centre of Justice and Faith, Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec, Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society, Canadian Arab Federation, Student Christian Movement of Canada, Sikh Youth Union Toronto, Vancouver District Labour Council, Campaign for Democratic Media, Save our Rivers Society, Toronto Disabled Action Movement Now, Sikh Lawyers Association Toronto, Indigenous Free Skool, Solidarity Across Borders Montreal, No One Is Illegal Toronto, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Industrial Workers of the World, Vancouver Status of Women, La Surda Latin American Collective, Interfaith Community Consultative Committee of the SFU Interfaith Summer Institute, Students for a Democratic Society UBC, Grassroots Women, Halifax Coalition Against Poverty, Vancouver Catholic Worker, Immigrant Workers Centre Montreal, Canadian Youth Network for Asia Pacific Solidarity, Sudbury Against War and Occupation, Filipino Women’s Organization in Quebec, 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, No One Is Illegal Kingston, No One Is Illegal Quebec City, Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty, Fredericton Peace Coalition, Beats for Justice, and others.

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CRTC COMPLAINTS FILED REGARDING ‘INCOMPLETE AND INACCURATE’ NEWS REPORTING IN LAIBAR SINGH CASE

A group of journalists, academics, and media-watch groups have filed a CRTC complaint stating that news coverage of Mr. Laibar Singh was not accurate, full, and comprehensive. According to the complainants, this inaccurate and incomplete coverage breached the broadcasters’ ethical codes and betrayed the public trust, while negatively impacting the public perception in the case of Mr. Laibar Singh.

This complaint has been filed against CBC TV, CBC Radio, CKNW, CTV, and Global TV on the grounds that, despite numerous clarifications including by legal experts, broadcasters failed to provide accurate, comprehensive, fair, full, and unbiased coverage when they reported falsely that Laibar Singh “came to Canada illegally” or that he “was illegal” in Canada prior to taking sanctuary in July 2007. This decontextualized and/or inaccurate information has fuelled ignorance in the public sphere and has negatively influenced perceptions of Mr. Laibar Singh and all asylum seekers to Canada.

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