 Statement from Canadian Peace Alliance The Collectif Échec ŕ la guerre, Canadian Peace Alliance the Canadian Labour Congress and the Canadian Islamic Congress are jointly calling for a pan-Canadian day of protest this October 28th 2006 to bring Canadian troops home from Afghanistan. On that day, people all across the country will unite to tell Stephen Harper that we are opposed to his wholehearted support for Canadian and US militarism. ...more
Maritime events...
 In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, people rose up in mid-October to challenge the use of Colombian "blood coal" in regional power plants from In Fredericton, on October 17, 2006, members of the Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network, the Fredericton Peace Coalition, and the Wilmot World Outreach Committee met with NB Power to discuss its use of Colombian coal. The group asked NB Power to do the following:
1. Urge El Cerrejon and the Colombian government to respect and uphold internationally recognized labour ... read more In Nova Scotia... read more
Some Background:
Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network
Fredericton Peace Coalition "blood coal" section
"Blood Coal"?
Pictures from HCAP's 2nd Annual Carnival of Resistance
On Saturday, August 19th, the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty held our second annual Carnival of Resistance.
This year focused on tenant organizing, Rent Control and gentrification.
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The criminalization of poor people is not a new phenomenon. Yet recently,
reports from street people who panhandle, squeegee and/or sleep on the
streets confirm that the cops have stepped up their unofficial campaign of
criminalization during the spring and summer of 2006. Police have been
disproportionately enforcing city by-laws around loitering, jaywalking and
being in possession of unregistered dogs
There will be a Street march against police harrasment and brutality of the poor in Halifax. Starting at the North Branch Library 2285 Gottingen St. and then marching to the central police station and onto city hall. Read More
www.hfxcap.ca
 There will be a Solidarity Rally and March calling for an end to Israel's assault on Lebanon and Gaza in Halifax on Saturday at The Spring Garden Public Library, July 29th at Noon. This Non-Violent March is organized by a coalition of concerned Haligonians including Canadians Arabs and Jews for a Just Peace, the Halifax Peace Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Society, and the Canada Palestine Association. Organizer's Statement on Israel's Violations of Humanitarian and International LawAs the Israeli military ground and air assault on Lebanon completes its second week, the horrific violence that has been unleashed upon Lebanon's civilian population appears to show no signs of abating despite international calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. At the same time, the Canadian government has decided to unquestioningly throw its support behind Israel, despite the deaths of 8 Canadian citizens, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Southern Lebanon on July 16th.
Stephen Harper has lauded Israel's "right to self defence" and has characterized the brutal attacks as "measured." Likewise Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay's July 12th and July 16th statements criticized the actions of Hezbollah yet remained silent of Israel's crimes against Canadian and Lebanese civilians. By contrast, the UN's top humanitarian official Jan Egeland has characterized Israel's offensive as a "disproportionate use of force," while UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour has characterized such operations as war crimes, noting that "indiscriminate shelling of cities constitutes a foreseeable and unacceptable targeting of civilians." Read More Stop Destroying Lebanon Tadamon, a Montreal-Based Solidarity OrganizationDONATE to the Sanayeh Relief Centre, a grassroots independent media and relief organizationThe Dominion's Lebanon Coverage
 As Tory Defence Minister and former arms dealer lobbyist Gordon O'Connor announced the first $2.9 billion spending package in a series of $15 Billion in new military spending on Monday, police arrested one demonstrator and threatened two others outside of the military base where the announcement was taking place. One of the two threatened with arrest was also threatened with a $500 fine for sliping an anti-war flier under the windsheild wiper of a vehicle. The other threat of arrest was for swearing. The one arrest that did take place was for the removal of a magnet from a car. The individual was taken into custody. All officers refused over 20 requests for identification. Organized on little more than a day's notice, the small demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to Gordon O'Connor's ties to defense lobbyists, including BAE Systems, and General Dynamics, for which O'Connor was a paid lobbyist throughout the 1990's. In addition, protestors criticized the Harper government for its overwhelming commitment to $15 billion in defence spending while slashing funding for environmental and social programs such as the national early learning and child care program, and a variety of programs geared towards reducing greenhouse gases. Such trends, as well as Canada's increasing willingness to carry out an aggressive foreign policy agenda in line with that of the Bush administration, have been underscored by the Harper government's willingness to accept a Fallujah-style bombing and raid campaign, the so-called 'Operation Mountain Thrust,' in Afghanistan's Southern Provinces. Account and Photos Initial Call-Out: Warhawks Not Welcome in Halifax VIDEOS of Police Harrassment and Arrest [ 1 2 ]Breaking News: Canadian troops knock down doors, interrogate civilians in Afghanistan: New footage
A group of anti-choice Christian crusaders have descended from their layer in Ontario to inflict their anti-feminist visual vomit on Atlantic Canada and Quebec. They mayor of Fredericton has already asked them to leave, and the CBC had indicated that the graphic images on their trademark placards are misrepresentations (6 month miscarried fetus as opposed to a 10 week aborted fetus), and contain doctored images. Open this article to find links on CBC coverage, Fredericton counter-demo, and photography of the anti-choice rally from the Maritime's famous blogger Charles Leblanc. This article also contains a schedule of cities this band of shock jocks intends on harassing, and their 'rules of engagement'. Click on their site to find a link to their comprehensive list of negative media coverage.
Please post coverage of the protests and counter-protests here and at news at www.news.infoshop.org
Check out what happened when they decended from Ontario to Fredricton:
Indy Media Report
CBC Media Report
This is what happened on their first day in Halfiax! +several Streamed Videos And Photos!
ANTI-CHOICERS GET CONFRONTED, NEUTRALIZED, THEN CHASED AROUND HALIFAX
Here is their crazy website: http://www.showthetruth.ca/
*warning* contains graphic (albeit fake and doctored) images and anti-feminist content
 New Video: Peter Mackay pursued throughout halls, streets of Halifax As Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay attended a fundraiser luncheon held at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax in June 2006, critics of his wayward policies attempted to hold his feet to the fire. Two indymedia activists managed to catch Mr. Mackay on his way out of the WTCC for a quick (and brief) Q & A. Most significantly, Mackay admits he agrees with calls for the release of jailed ex-Haitian Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, something no Canadian politician has yet done, refers to the elected Palestinian National Authority as a "terrorist organization," and falsely refers to the Coalition Military campaign in Afghanistan as a "UN-backed Mission." VIDEO: Peter, Peter, Our Misleader on Google Video AUDIO
Transcript of the Interview
Approximately 500 people packed into a hotel hall in downtown Saint John for a panel discussion entittled "Resisting Atlantica" on Thursday night. The mostly-labour crowd heard from a panel consisting of Maude Barlow (Council of Canadians), Matt Schlobohm (Maine Fair Trade Campaign), and Andrew Jackson (Canadian Labour Congress). This event kicked off three days of actions against the proposed Atlantica trade region, whose main proponents include the Irving Family and the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS). By Friday afternoon, some protestors had managed to briefly push their way into the conference before being removed by police. Three arrests have been confirmed as a result. A unified region consisting of Canada’s Atlantic Provinces and the northeastern United States in which provincial and state legislation would eliminate and stagnate the minimum wage, restrict the ability of workers to organize and drastically reduce public spending on social programs Read Account of Day One, Two. Day Three
Accounts:[1,]
Photos [ 1 ]
Audio: [ 1 ]
On May 1st, 2006, in solidarity with the international immigrant general strike, immigrant rights actions will be taking place in Halifax and in Fredericton. In Fredericton, there will be a march starting at 11 AM from the Fredericton High School Parking lot (the one adjacent to the soccer fields) to the nearby Canada Border Services Agency (495 Prospect St) with the message: NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!
The UNB/STU Social Justice Society encourages everyone to attend (students and workers) to show their support. Amongst the messages being circulated aroung the event is the following:
"Walk out of school and @ 11:00am and show support for the international day of action--general strike--against the persecution of immigrants. Cities will be shut down by the people in the U.S over oppressive laws being enacted to criminalize immigrants. In France the government suffered because they didn't respect the dignity of all peoples, which led to riots this past year.
If you want to do more, help send a strong message to the Canadian Government that they will respect all peoples. No more illegal detentions and deportations of people! No more suburban housing developments over native lands! No one is Illegal...because we're all the decendents of immigrants. It's just a matter of how far back you want to go!" In Halifax, Members of the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty and other folks will be paying a visit to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Office in order to demand that the Portnoy Family, a family who've been living in sanctuary in a church basement in Newfoundland since November, be granted a stay in their deportation order. Summary of Fredericton Action
Fredericton Invitation with Poster Links Invitation with Context About the Destination HCAP Portnoy Support Call-Out (w/t addresses of immigration officials responsible) Canada Border Services Agency Proudly Announces New Immigrant Detention Centre More Context About the Struggle of Immigrants and Refugees: Solidarity Across Borders Homes Not Bombs No One is Illegal Toronto
 Talk is starting to develop around plans for a new "free trade" zone encompassing Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Upstate New York. The new free trade "network," known as "Atlantica" is aimed at expanding the effects of NAFTA to new heights. Proponents liken "Atlantica" to the Reciprocity Treaty, a 19th century trade arrangement between the United States and individual British colonies in Maritimes around the time of Confederation. The proponents for this new trade zone include the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS), a right-leaning pro-business think tank based in Halifax, and the Atlantic Provinces Chambre of Commerce. The "atlantica" website quite openly calls for layoffs of government employees in the region, as well as a lowering of the minimum wage (of which the Atlantic Canadian provinces are known for having the lowest), and further "market flexibilization" through reduction of unionization rates. Such talk of "harmonization" of public policy bears a clear resemblance to the "Smart Regulations" spoken prominently of by the Martin government prior to the January Federal Election. Some of the proposals for the Atlantica region take this one-step further, expanding NORAD into a “Multi-service Defence Command” or one central military command for all of North America. In addition, Atlantica's proponents seek to subsume Canadian immigration and energy policies to those of the United States. Critics claim that the Atlantica agenda has been effectively advanced by the lobby groups of the wealthiest families in Atlantic Canada, with no input or even "consultation" from unions, churches, human rights organizations, indigenous leaders, citizens watchdog groups, and other organizations of folks outside of the small circles of the Atlantic Canadian elite. A conference, entittled "Business Without Borders: Reaching Atlantica" is scheduled to take place in Saint John from June 8-10. The conference's main sponsors are Irving Oil and BMO. Some critical voices are starting to emerge, about this new "free trade" zone. Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network: Redefining Atlantic Canada in the Corporate Image.Atlantica and the Coy Agenda for Continental Integration Other Sites of InterestReaching Atlantica
Within the past five weeks, two Black cultural organizations have been targeted with what appears to have been deliberate acts of arson. Mainstream media and local papers have downplayed these acts, and have even failed to cover them at all.
According to Black Loyalist Heritage Society member Sharon Oliver, on February 27th, at 4:00 a.m., six Molotov cocktails were thrown from highway #7 at the Black Cultural Centre in Dartmouth, resulting in a fire causing $1,500 damage. A postage stamp size article reporting the incident appeared on the back pages of a single newspaper. On March 31st approximately 10:30 p.m, an unrecognized car was seen speeding away from the five year old office building at the Black Loyalist heritage site in Birchtown. Flames lapped around the outside deck to which a fire-accelerant had been applied. The building was completely destroyed. Also destroyed were the records, genealogical data, and planning documents-twenty years of work by the Black Loyalist Society. Major media reports of the incident came out two days later. The offices of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society was located in birchtown, near Shelburne. It was located within the site of one of the largest and oldest settlements of free Africans (outside of Africa), established in 1783. The Black Loyalist Heritage Society has engaged in a 20-year struggle to gain recognition of the Black Loyalists and to develop this historic site. Read More (Including Review of Media Coverage So Far)
 Healthy Mind, Body, Planet is a cross-Canada multi-media tour, tabloid and documentary celebrating the most current information, analysis and inspiration related to mental, physical and planetary health. It will look at the reasons for the recent rise in depression, and at the myriad of treatments available, including pharmaceutical and holistic, within the context of Big-Pharma and corporate culture. The tour will also honor the late Tooker Gomberg by concentrating on the role that mental illness and associated treatments played in his tragic death. The tour will provide comprehensive information on sustainable activism as well as complementary and alternative treatments to sound mental health. There are 3 Maritime dates on this national tour:
April 3 - Elsipogtog First Nation (Big Cove) NB1:00 pm @ the Health and Healing Centre, Healing Lodge, 205 - 2 Big Cove Rd. April 4 - Fredricton, NB
7 pm @ the Underground Cafe, 740 Charlotte St. April 6 - Halifax, NS7 pm @ the Dalhousie Student Union Building, 6136 University Ave. More information
 March 25-28 - Maritime Speaking Tour PEI organic farmer and Vietnam War Resister Gary Clausheide will be touring the Maritimes in late March to discuss the topic of “Building Sustainable Community in Times of Declining Oil Stocks”. The tour will travel to Halifax, Sackville, Fredericton, and possibly additional locations, with a Charlottetown event later in April.
This tour is fueled by vegetable oil. And at each stop, there will be a workshop on converting diesels to run on vegetable oil, which will include an examination of a veggie-mobile. More info?
Part ONE
Part TWO
March 19th, 2006
On Saturday, March 18th, to mark the 3rd Anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, artists, speakers, and peace activists congregated in Victoria Park to say "No" to the ongoing illegal occupation of Iraq and Coalition forces military involvement. The Stop the War Machine Stage of Engagement, organized by the Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG), featured such popular entertainers as monolithic hip-hop performer Michael Franti of Spearhead. Local acts I.M.F. and the Sound and the Fury also performed. Representatives from a coalition of community groups including Haiti Action Halifax, the Halifax Peace Coalition, Student Coalition Against War, Palestine Solidarity Society, and NSPIRG, expressed the need for a concerted opposition to corporate colonialism and unlawful military campaigns abroad. Michael Franti, a singer and songwriter from California, livened up the crowd with his inspirational and empowering lyrics like "We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't bomb it into peace". Franti recently returned from a peace mission to Iraq, Israel, and Palestine and produced a film about his journey. "Today we are in a war against war" says Franti, "and music is our power."
NSPIRG
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Fredericton Pictures:
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with Michael Franti and special guests rocking out against the war
EVENT: Protest and Concert
DATE: Saturday, March 18, 2006 – 1:00pm
LOCATION: Farmers Market (march), Victoria Park (concert)
Halifax – On Saturday, March 18th, to mark the 3rd Anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, artists, speakers, and peace activists will congregate in Victoria Park to say "No" to the ongoing illegal occupation of Iraq and Coalition forces military involvement.
The Stage of Engagement, organized by the Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG), will feature such popular entertainers as monolithic hip-hop performer Michael Franti of Spearhead, and passionate speakers such as Yazin Nal-Qaydi, a 17 year-old Iraqi boy.
A rally will begin at noon in front of the Halifax Farmer's Market, and will continue to march through downtown to arrive at the stage in Victoria Park at 1pm. There, the crowd will join thousands around the world to stand in solidarity against war and occupation. Representatives from a coalition of community groups including Haiti Action Halifax, the Halifax Peace Coalition, Student Coalition Against War, Palestine Solidarity Society, and NSPIRG, will express the need for a concerted opposition to corporate colonialism and unlawful military campaigns abroad.
Michael Franti, a singer and songwriter from California, will be at the event to liven up the crowd with his inspirational and empowering lyrics like We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't bomb it into peace. Franti recently returned from a peace mission to Iraq, Israel, and Palestine and produced a film about his journey. "Today we are in a war against war" says Franti, "and music is our power."
Franti will be playing an intimate concert later that same evening at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
For more information:
I know I'm not Alone
Fredericton Event
Fredericton rally pictures
Halifax pictures
More Halifax pictures
Even more Halifax pictures
March 6th, 2006
Hello to everyone, it's Tre, here behind these walls at Wilkie. As March 13th, the two-year mark of my incarceration, rapidly approaches I am calling upon supporters to embark on a hunger strike with me. I am not protesting the conditions or my treatment here at Wilkie. To the contrary, I know the conditions of my incarceration could be much worse... My heart goes out to all those suffering behind prison walls around the world (like Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, Attica...). I protest, rather, the US government, the FBI, and the complicit Canadian government for imprisoning me for two years of my life! I protest the fact that I have been denied resonable bail (a violation of my Charter rights) despite my emphatic declaration of innocence. I protest the persecution I am experiencing because of my political opinion and a willingness to take a stand against the power structure within the so-called "democracy" of the U.S.
For More Information
Febuary 26th, 2006
Acadia University’s local committee of the national organization, World University Service of Canada, is hosting a Refugee Awareness Week starting on March 1st. The awareness week will consist of a series of events pertaining to refugee issues including speakers, and a letter writ-a-thon in partnerships with the Amnesty International club. WUSC is an organization that hopes to build global understanding of issues and human development through education. WUSC took an active role in the Make Poverty History Campaign, and has a Student Refugee Program that consists of local committees hosting refugee students. There is also a focus on sustainability and building general knowledge of worldwide humanitarian issues At Acadia University, the local WUSC committee holds open meetings weekly to discuss relevant issues through presentations including the spread of malaria, fair trade business practices, the Millennium Development Goals, and women’s movements in Latin America. The diverse group of students, professors, and community members has people from all around the world. The diversity and discussion within the committee is enhanced by the various backgrounds of the members in business, political science and environmental studies. The committee uses the weekly meetings to educate themselves, discuss how to bring these topics to Acadia and the community, and to plan events like the Refugee Awareness Week. The upcoming Refugee Awareness Week will be kicked off on Wednesday March 1st by a Coffee Haus dedicated to the cause, which is a weekly feature on the Acadia campus usually drawing entertaining musical talent and a great audience. On Thursday, there will be an informative presentation from the two WUSC sponsored refugee students at Acadia University about their experiences in Kenyan Refugee Camps. Friday will focus 12 hours to a Write-a-thon of writing letters advocating for refugee rights and issues. Finally, on Tuesday March 7th, the Refugee Awareness Week will be topped off with another presentation on life in a refugee camp in Turkey and how UN process of applying to countries as a refugee works. This talk will be led by Haiveen Al-Isso, who is Refugee student from St. Mary’s University. Acadia WUSC would like to invite everyone to come participate in all of the events, or any that spark interest. The support and feedback would be great for the growth of our Student Refugee Program, and would help to spread the word and draw more attention to the important issues for refugees around the world and in the Maritimes. Acadia WUSC’s Refugee Awareness Week Events: Wednesday, March 1st 9pm @ Michener Lounge: Coffee Haus Thursday, March 2nd 6pm @ BAC 244: Talk: Life at Refugee Camps in Kenya by the two Refugee Sponsored Students at Acadia University Friday, March 3rd 1pm to 1am @ SUB: WUSC & Amnesty International Write-a-thon: As part of WUSC’s refugee week, Amnesty’s 12-hour writing marathon will focus on refugee rights. Come out to find out what Amnesty is all about and help us reach our goal of 150 letters by writing for the rights of others. Tuesday, March 7th 6pm @ BAC 239: Presentation on the experience of a Kurdish refugee, the refugee camp in Turkey and the UN process of a applying to a country as refugee. Speaker: Haiveen Al-Isso
Web Site
Febuary 9th, 2006
Inflammatory media playboy, Peter March had taken the anti-Islamic cartoon cbc timeline which has provoked fatal rioting, the torching of several embassies, media sensationalism and a more repressive climate for Muslim people around the world.
Canada, a country where white supremacy has ruled as long as the state has (employment, incarceration, standard of living, Aboriginal treatment...) Muslim citizens in canada are not immune from the global campaign against Islam. From Maher Arar to the draconian "security certificates" and illegal detainments, the posting of this cartoon in academia ads insult to injury.
Peter March didn't disappoint the keen throngs of corporate media who wanted to bring the sensationalism of Middle East violence to nova scotia. Peter March not only showed up at the even, but followed behind for the duration of the demonstration, smiling to the cameras and presenting his "philosophical posturings".
March placed the cartoons, which were first published in a Danish newspaper, on his office door on Tuesday. He removed them the same day after being told to do so by the university administration.
The president of the Saint Mary's University faculty union said posting the cartoons did not invite discussion and was not an honest search for knowledge. "You have a duty that you must deal with research and investigation," Smith said. "You have to have an honest search for knowledge, which is where the classroom and peer review research is the way to do that. Simply putting the caricatures on the door does not necessarily invite discussion."
Many people have said that the cartoons are being used as a tool to incite anger in predominantly Muslim, as a pretext for Imperialist attacks and the procurement of fossil fuels.
Others still have pointed out that while Peter March and his cohorts are cloaking their inflammatory gestures in the name of "free speech", being tolerant isn't about tolerating intolerance.
Which is to say, the cartoon depictions are examples of religious intolerance. In Islam, there are to be no depictions of the Prophet, and cartoons with such a dissrespectful and racist presentation, all over corporate media, all over the world is surely a form of religious intollerance.
Free-speech IS NOT about being tollerant towards intolerance.
Free-speech IS about expressing yourself free from intimidation though, so this Indymedia reporter thought it prudent to include some photos of just a few of the spooks who decided to continue their campaign of spying on and harassing Muslims, protesters and Muslim protesters!
Pictures
The Editorial Collective of Indy Media Maritimes lost control of the web site for the last two weeks. There was an over heating problem with the database server which hosts our site. Sadly, the tech who is able to fix our problem was away and only just returned the other day. We are now back up and running at full speed.
Let hope that the over heating issue was because of all the new people visiting our the site over the past 6 months. Keep'em coming!
 The Halifax Coalition Against Poverty (HCAP), Visits Immigration Canada Office: VIDEO & PICTURES
"No folkie on today's scene more fully grasps both the lessons of history and the need to be on the ground, with the people, facing down the legionnaires of corporatism and global hegemony."--Mountain Express, Asheville, North Carolina.
"David Rovics is in the tradition of Guthrie, Seegar and Dylan. He tells the stories of our time with insight, grace and musicality. And you can't beat his sense of solidarity and radical politics. Bards like these celebrate us as we should celebrate them."
David Barsamian, host Alternative Radio.
David Rovics has been called the musical voice of the progressive movement in the US. Amy Goodman has called him "the musical version of Democracy Now!" Since the mid-90's Rovics has spent most of his time on the road, playing hundreds of shows every year throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. In mid-January, Rovics brings his act to the Maritimes:
Saturday, Jan. 14, 9 pm, The Underground Cafe and Alternative Bookstore , Basement of 732 Charlotte St., Fredericton, New Brunswick. Press release.
Monday, Jan. 16, 9 pm, Gus' Pub & Grill, 2605 Agricola St., Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Tuesday, January 17th, 2 pm, Songwriter's Circle, Workshop on Music and Activism, One World Cafe, 2412 Agricola St., Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Tuesday, January 17th, 8 pm, One World Cafe, 2412 Agricola St., Halifax, Nova Scotia.
All of David Rovics' songs are available for free on his website .
IMC Maritimes is on the air, posting news and points of view from around Eastern Canada, that you won't find anywhere else.
IMC Maritimes needs updates from your community. Get involved. Join the active mailing list (all welcome). Post stories, upcoming events and local analysis. "Read about our editorial policy here .
 URGENT! ALEXI PORTNOY DETAINED; FACES DEPORTATION ON JANUARY 16TH! Send Emergency letters to Deputy PM Anne Maclellan Sign the Petition Alexis & Angela Portnoy and their four children, Alon, 13, Mark, 7, Anna-Marie, 4, and four-month old Valarie have, for several months, been living in sanctuary in the basement of Sacred Heart Parish in Marystown, Newfoundland out of fear of being deported by Citizens and Immigration Canada. On December 8th, Liberal MP Bill Matthews relayed a message from Deputy Prime Minister Anne Maclellan, also a Minister in charge of Canadian Border Services, denying their appeal for a stay on their deportation order. The Portnoy family are currently waiting on an application to remain in Canada on a Humanitarian and Compassionate (H & C) claim. Under the regulations of Citizens and Immigration Canada, immigrants without legal status are subject to deportation. Alexis and Angela Portnoy are originally from the Republic of Moldova, a country bordering Romania, but were granted Israeli citizenship and moved to Israel in 1991 under the Israeli Law of Return. The family left Israel in 1996, moving first to Montreal, where Alexis began a maintenance company, then to St John's, and then to Marystown. Three of their children, Mark, Anna-Marie, and Valarie were born in Canada. Anna was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in 2000, and has been "flourishing" under the medical care she has received in Canada. The family has received significant support from the small community of Marystown (pop 7000), particularly from town Mayor Sam Synard. [Read Press Release] On December 21st, Alexi Portnoy was arrested and detained by RCMP after he was stopped for speeding. He had left Sacred Heart Parish that evening to help a friend collect clothing donations for the Canadian Diabetes Society. He was detained over Christmas and has since been transferred to an immigrant detention centre in Laval Quebec. He faces deportation to Israel on January 16th. [Background Information] www.supporttheportnoyfamily.ca/ All Media Coverage Locally and Nationally Between July 2005 and January 2nd, 2006 Portnoy Support Committee Jan 5th Press Release: "Just a Number"
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Stay tuned to this sight for more details on Charles LeBlanc's upcoming trial... 
Stage of Engagement a Huge Success 
Rally to end the Occupation
January 14th, 2006 
