No One Is Illegal-Toronto, No One Is Illegal-Vancouver and rabble.ca are pleased to announce the official launch of the 2009-2010 “No One Is Illegal! Stop Immigration Canada’s Racism!” National Video Competition.

Youth are invited to take a stand against racism with us! Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, has continued a trend of cutting funding for settlement agencies, breaking the refugee system and increasing temporary work programs. These are acts of racist discrimination. Now Kenney has called for a video competition called ‘Racism. Stop it!’ This is another attempt to fool us in to thinking that Immigration Canada is not racist. The “No One Is Illegal! Stop Immigration Canada’s Racism!” National Video Competition is a contest which invites youth, to submit short videos (45 to 60 seconds) on their thoughts about Canada’s racist immigration system. This initiative will reach thousands of people across Turtle Island through community migrant justice networks, educators and youth, and through features with our media sponsor rabble.ca.

Five winning videos will be chosen by a distinguished panel of filmmaker judges including Min-Sook Lee. The winners will be featured prominently on the rabble.ca website and receive, amongst other prizes, a chance to pick the brains of our jury and be part of an online awards ceremony hosted by the No One Is Illegal Network on 21 March 2010, the International Day to End Racism.

There will also be a Public Choice Award winning video. During the month of February 2010, the general public will be able to vote for their favorite video on the No One Is Illegal Youtube page (www.youtube.com/nooneisillegal). The video receiving the most votes will be awarded this prestigious Public Choice Award.

Note that this year’s deadline for submissions is Friday, January 15, 2010. Please email for instructions on submission: nooneisillegal@riseup.net. To read more about Immigration’s racism, see: http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/336