Canada orders US woman war resister (and new mother) deported

The Canadian government has ordered the deportation of Kimberly Rivera, the first U.S. woman Iraq war veteran resister to go to Canada, and four other U.S. war resisters. Rivera, her husband and three children, including a newborn daughter only six weeks old, must depart Canada by January 27 or be deported. Rivera now lives in Toronto with her husband Mario, son Christian (6 years), daughter Rebecca (4 years), and newborn Canadian daughter Katie (6 weeks).

Rivera served in the U.S. Army in Iraq in 2006, but refused a second tour in Iraq in 2007 and instead took her family to Canada. Her first tour in Iraq convinced Rivera that the war was immoral and that she could not participate in it.

Rivera's Pre-Removal Risk assessment application and request to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds were denied by the conservative Stephen Harper government, although the Canadian government refused to join the Bush coalition of the willing and join in on the war in Iraq. The Canadian military's participation in the war in Afghanistan has been controversial as Canadian casualties rise.

The War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada believes the Canadian Immigration Minister's decision to deport Rivera and four other U.S. war resisters is based on the need to have the deportations completed before the Canadian Parliament returns in late January.

The Parliament adopted a resolution in June, 2008 that recommended to the Harper government that “conscientious objectors” to wars that are not authorized by the United Nations be allowed to apply for permanent residence status in Canada.

Immigration Minister Jason has said that the refugee claims of war resisters are "bogus" and that he "has no sympathy for them." Kenney has made it clear that his government intends to go against the will of Parliament and the will of Canadians.

If Rivera and the other U.S. war resisters are deported to the United States, or return voluntarily, they will face a military court-martial. Robin Long, the only other U.S. soldier to be deported from Canada, was court-martialed in 2008 at Fort Carson, Colorado and received a 15 month prison sentence and a dishonorable discharge, the longest sentence given to a war resister during the Iraq war.

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