Upcoming Events - Let Them Stay Week, March 15 - 22

The following actions and activities were originally posted to the Let Them Stay Campaign facebook page

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LET THEM STAY Week
March 15-22, 2009
Welcome War Resisters, Not War Criminals

On the 6th anniversary of the illegal Iraq war, George Bush will be visiting Calgary to give his first speech since leaving office. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney both wanted Canada to take part in Bush's war, and have been punishing US soldiers for refusing to participate in it.

While Americans voted Bush out of office, and Canada's Parliament voted to let Iraq war resisters stay, Harper and Kenney continue to defy democracy and support the Iraq war through their policy of deporting US Iraq war resisters. Since last summer, three US Iraq war resisters have been deported by the Harper government. During the week that Bush visits Canada, Canadians will be rallying from coast to coast to demand of Harper and Kenney: "welcome war resisters, not war criminals."

Please check the listings below for events you can participate in.

Leafletting Day: Choose a busy corner in your city and hand out leaflets in support of war resisters to help spread the word and involve more people. You can download a leaflet here. See local events below to find out about leafletting sessions which are planned for your city.

Monday, March 16: Letter-to-the-Editor Day: Send a letter to your local newspaper to support U.S. Iraq war resisters. Some points you can include:

• Canada refused to fight in Iraq and a majority of Canadians support US Iraq war resisters
• on June 3rd Parliament passed a motion to stop deporting war resisters and to let them stay
• Prime Minister Harper and Immigration Minister Kenney need to respect Parliament
• Canada should welcome war resisters, rather than welcoming war criminal George Bush
  

Tuesday, March 17:

1. Bush Visit to Calgary The protest against George Bush will include shoes gathered from across the country. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has enthusiastically agreed to gather shoes for the protest. They can be sent to CUPW-Calgary Local, 109 - 5621 - 11 St. N.E., Calgary AB, T2E 627.
   

   See full details for the Calgary protest at www.peoplevbush.ca.

2. National Phone-In Day: Phone or email the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Tell him that you want him to respect Canadian democracy and the Canadian Parliament by implementing the motion to stop deportation proceedings against U.S. Iraq war resisters and allow them to stay.
   

   Contact info: Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney,
   Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry office)
   613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office)
   Or email him at: [email protected] or [email protected]
   

   Please cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney:
   Liberal party immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: [email protected]
   

   NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: [email protected]
   Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: [email protected]
   

   The Right Hon. Stephen Harper
   

   Phone: (613) 992-4211
   E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

Friday, March 20: Visit or call your local MP
Call or visit your local Member of Parliament's office and tell them you support war resisters. If your MP is a Conservative, tell them you want the government to implement the Parliamentary motion to stop the deportations of war resisters and let them stay in Canada.

If your MP is a member of one of the opposition parties, ask them to reaffirm their support for the motion and speak out publicly at this critical time against the deportations.