Canada: Stop Deportation of Don Staniford
B.C.-based activist Don Staniford is being sued by Mainstream Canada, B.C.'s second largest farmed-salmon produce.Mainstream Canada, which is owned by the multinational Norwegian parent company Cermaq, whose largest shareholder is the Norwegian Government, alleges that Staniford has used "defamatory and false statements" intended to damage the salmon-fishing industry.
On January 16th the defamation trial began in the Supreme Court of British Columbia and is scheduled for 20 days (until 10th February). At noon on the first day of the trial Mr.Staniford was met by the police and the Canadian Border Services Agency and advised he would be deported from Canada following the trial (February 29th).
Visitors have the opportunity to stay in Canada for up to 6 months. By deporting Mr. Staniford as his visitors permit expires this could mean in future he could be denied entry to Canada. Mr. Staniford should be allowed to leave Canada freely under the conditions of the visitors permit.
You may not be aware of the revelations earlier in January that the Canadian Government has labelled First Nations and environmental non-goverment organizations as "adversaries of the government" in an attempt to muzzle free speech and democratic rights, particularly those advocating for social and environmental justice. http://forestethics.org/press-release-forestethics-launches-petition--website--wewillnotbesilencedca--calling-on-canadians-to-stand-up-to-prime-ministers-threats-to-civil-society
I care about Canada’s wild salmon and am concerned about the industrial non-native salmon farming in British Columbia that is harming wild salmon stocks and producing potentially toxic food.
I also care about the rights of Canadians and visitors to Canada to freely express their view point and stand up for the environment and human health - this is a democratic human right. I won’t be silenced.
I speak for our ability to openly debate the issues in this country. I respectfully request that the Prime Minister of Canada and the Canadian Government stop its attack on democracy and direct the Canadian Border Services Agency to immediately rescind the deportation order against Mr. Don Staniford and allow him to leave freely at the expiry of his visitor's permit.
