This:
File photo of the Harin Panich 19, now renamed MV Sun Sea.
Marinetraffic.com/ The Globe and Mail
…
A handful of Toronto lawyers were en route to Vancouver Wednesday night to assist the incoming migrants…
We’re suckers for Tamil Tigers, Part 2
Update: The Italian way:
…Silvio Berlusconi’s government in Italy reached an understanding with the Libyans which allows Italian patrols to return intercepted migrants to the tender mercies of Colonel Qaddafi’s police before they get a chance to ask for asylum…
Upperdate: Meanwhile Chris Selley is bemused at his National Post “Full Pundit”:
…What shall we do with the Tamil sailors?
Decisions, decisions
From Edmonton to Ottawa, governments struggle not to look stupid, self-interested and heartless.The National Post’s and Globe and Mail’s editorialists agree that boatloads of refugees from Sri Lanka are a whopper of a problem that desperately needs addressing. Even setting aside the security risk posed by potential Tamil Tigers amongst the passengers and the enormous resources that must now be directed at housing the asylum-seekers and processing their claims, Canada has a moral obligation not to be seen as a soft touch — and thus as a magnet for human traffickers. The solution? That’s a toughie, given that Supreme Court of ours. The Post thinks we should have intercepted the MV Sun Sea and turned it away, but as the Globe says, that “would be a difficult undertaking legally” — not to mention politically and morally. In light of the Globe‘s objections to intercepting such ships in international waters, we have no idea what this is supposed to mean: “Ottawa must continue to develop its intelligence and policing networks and work with Asian allies, including Australia and Thailand, to intercept migrant smuggling vessels and prevent them from reaching Canadian shores in the first place.” (Intercept them where?) But nor do we have any better ideas that don’t run afoul of Canadian law…
Tough question, Что Делать?
Uppestdate: Yet more at the National Post’s “Full Comment”:
Lorne Gunter: Intercepting Tamil ships is our only option
Kevin Libin: What Australia can teach us about the Tamil asylum seekers
Beyond Uppestdate: Canadian Navy video of vessel being intercepted, photos here (via MARPAC).
Mark
Ottawa
Blow them out of the water. Problem solved
We’ve been patsies far too long. There’s a practical yet humanitarian way, I think, to solve the problem – and those who might be tempted to follow:
1. Interdict with a warship or two.
2. Send an oiler to re-fuel the ship and a provisioning ship to re-provision.
3. Turn them back.
4. Make it clear that should any ships attempt the same, they, too will be turned back.
I fail to see how any of these “refugees” can be classed as such. If they have the means to pay (exorbitant) passage, they have the resources to get in line. What we’re doing – or allowing them to do – is just plain stupid. I’m tired of it.
Put them in a camp where they can work everyday to bring the ship up to Environment Canada’s artificial reef standards, hand the ship the ARSBC, then ship them north where they can clear snow for the winter in not so well heated huts, feed them the local diet, then as the blackflies start to descend, offer them plane tickets home. If not they can work up north for a few years doing jobs no one else wants and then can apply for citizenship
*
check out the hundreds of angry comments at the globe…
looks like canadian’s reputations as uber-socialist nice
guys is showing a few cracks.
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I have to agree with canuck66, stop ‘em on the high seas,re provision them, and send them home.
If we don’t, we’re going to be inundated with shiploads of Third World refugees,few of whom will be able to earn an honest living and pay taxes in Canada.
We’ll find lots who’ll be willing to earn a not-so-honest living though.Rebel warriors don’t make good immigrants.
were being little pushovers and showing the rest of the illegal world that we will take any piece of shit into out country and destroy our citizens way of life. we pay the tax dollars form day one and they just ride a ship over walk in, and start a life and we pay there way. think agian canada.
The Tamil Tiger terrorists operating in Canada as Canadian Tamil Congress was exposed with the arrival of MV Ocean Lady in Canada.Despite claims by David Poopalapillai, the Tiger chief in Canada, that the Tamil Tigers are not behind the MV Ocean Lady, MV Sun Sea, another Tamil Tiger ship has now landed. The investigation into both these ships by the Government of Canada has revealed that the Tamil Tigers are engaged in human trafficking and they want to reconstitute in Canada.
Why would regular refugees be allowed on the ship, even if they could afford the passage fee? Why wouldn’t the ship be packed with those wanting power in Canada, to Lord it over others already here, to have a further home base here? How many are Muslim as compared to Hindu? Is it only Arab Muslims who wage Jihad? Are those on the boat open minded, going to be understanding of others’ rights to religious freedom and women’s rights once here? Are they going to be as caring as we are to them? Have they been in their home countries or were they scary, violent, abusive, fighters? Why do we view so many refugees as innocent goat herders when they likely view us as uneducated fools which is obvious just by our allowing that ship to land? They know what they are doing? Do we? We view ourselves as kind and compassionate, but perhaps we are just naieve. We need to be more educated and aware about realities. Too many don’t even read the paper or vote.
Sri Lankan Tamils are mainly Hindu, and the Tigers have not been linked with Islamist terrorist groups as far as I know:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242/liberation_tigers_of_tamil_eelam_aka_tamil_tigers_sri_lanka_separatists.html
Mark
Ottawa
I say rent about 50 acres on Guadeloupe Island (150 Km off the pacific coast of Mexico) and use that as a staging area for “refugees”. It’s surrounded by shark infested waters so little chance of escaping to Canada or USA. A few years there waiting to be screened for admission to Canada will clear people’s heads and help remove the “SUCKER” sign on our forehead.
[...] Update again: Heh. [...]
To Jason Kenny MP:
A copy of my email sent this morning Fri 13th 2010
This migrant ship arriving off the coast of British Columbia is only here for one reason …………. Canadians are absolute “suckers” ………… The Canadian Government should take a page out of the Australian Government’s immigration policies!!! Why do you think this vessel didn’t land on Australia’s shores? Afterall, Australia is much closer than Canada!!
I am very angry with the “policy” of Canada and I am sick and tired of being used as a door mat by illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka.
With Toews comment below, ” will look at available options to strengthen our laws” … as usual you are once again too late and I am betting that these “illegals” will disappear into Canadian society just as the last boat load.
Toews called the arrival an “unacceptable abuse of international law and Canadian generosity,” adding Canadian officials “will look at all available options to strengthen our laws” to address the matter.
We are the damn taxpayers here and for some reason you are not listening to the general public. These illegals must be returned to Sri Lanka and only then through the proper channels be allowed to immigrate.
The whole affair, if not handled in the correct manner could change my views and my vote for the Conservative Party.
This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE !!!
I agree that our highly paid politicians should protect our country first. My suggestion is for this government to withdraw from the UN refugee agreement. That will then allow our military to turn ships around and send them packing and if they do not leave we sink them.
This Trojan ship carrying individuals from sri lanka should be sunk. Canada does not need to sign on to the corrupt UN refugee pact.
This Conservative government is allowing the left wing liberals/ndp to direct the play. Canadians must vote a majority mandate for the Conservatives or the libs/ndp and blocheads will have our homes given over to these terrorists who arrive on our shores.
I wonder where you came from, and you are just as bad as those in this ship if they are terrorists as they say they are, you just as bad as them, get a job and help the poor of the word
[...] from me: What you really need to know about Tamils on MV Sun Sea/Beyond Uppestdate [...]
Hell let’s even buy that rust bucket of a boat and turn it into a majestic shrine to boat people and tourists from around the world will pay to see it!
This is really old now, but the Tigers have been linked to training with Islamist groups — the PLO for instance, but purely for insurgent tactics.