Border Services red faced after imprisoned Canadian proves ID - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

starseed · 08-11-2009, 07:41 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/...adian-dna.html

Quote:

The lawyer for a Canadian woman stranded in Kenya said he will file a motion in Federal Court on Tuesday, asking the federal government to issue an emergency passport so she can return home after a DNA test confirmed her identity.
Raoul Boulakia, the lawyer for Suaad Haji Mohamud, said he received the genetic test report on Monday afternoon, and it proves that she is the mother of a 12-year-old boy living in Toronto, confirming who she says she is.

Quote:

The Canadian government later wrote to the Kenyan government informing officials there that it had done a thorough investigation and determined her to be an imposter and recommended that she be prosecuted.

Gotta love how our government is protecting Canada from its own citizens. And not only that, but encouraging foreign governments to prosecute them.

They totally dropped the ball here and embarassed the whole country. Everyone involved should get more than a slap on the wrist for the way this has been handled.

VladtheImpaler · 08-11-2009, 07:45 AM

Let that be a valuable lesson - when asked for a bribe by an official at a Canadian Consulate in a corrupt foreign country - PAY IT.

Bagor · 08-11-2009, 07:52 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/...man072409.html

Quote:

She showed the Kenyans other pieces of Canadian identification and offered to be fingerprinted, but she was charged with identity fraud. She spent eight days in jail before she was released on bail. Mohamud said she provided fingerprints when she applied for Canadian citizenship, but Canadian officials say fingerprints are destroyed when such an application is closed.

Well .... that's just great to hear.

zuluking · 08-11-2009, 07:54 AM

Yes, the whole country has been embarrassed. What a shame! But to offset that, I had raspberries on my cereal this morning which has reflected positively on the entire nation. Overstate much?

JustAnotherGuy · 08-11-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/...adian-dna.html

Gotta love how our government is protecting Canada from its own citizens. And not only that, but encouraging foreign governments to prosecute them.

They totally dropped the ball here and embarassed the whole country. Everyone involved should get more than a slap on the wrist for the way this has been handled.

Can you please clear up which 'Border Services' claimed she was an imposter.

starseed · 08-11-2009, 08:25 AM

Raspberries on your cereal does not compare with border agents showing incredible incompetence in determining whether a citizen is or is not actually a citizen.

They say they conducted a 'thorough investigation' yet got this simple question wrong. As a result a Canadian citizen was branded an imposter and thrown in a foreign jail. Yet still, the Canadian government is refusing to comment saying: "It would be inappropriate to comment ... as this matter is still before the courts."
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/679235

So the government determines she is not a Canadian citizen, and tells the Kenyans to prosecute her, and now that their incompetence is shown to the whole world, they throw up their hands and say that it is up to the Kenyan courts? Really?

If this had happened to me, I cannot imagine how livid I would be after getting back.

starseed · 08-11-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

Can you please clear up which 'Border Services' claimed she was an imposter.

From the link in the OP

Quote:

Canadian officials in Kenya confiscated her passport and concluded she was an impostor.

JustAnotherGuy · 08-11-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

From the link in the OP

You still have it wrong. Try again. Just trying to be accurate here for who you are accusing and who should be red-faced.

mykalberta · 08-11-2009, 08:55 AM

Let that be a lesson, dont sell you Canadian Passport for crack while in Kenya.

VladtheImpaler · 08-11-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Let that be a lesson, dont sell you Canadian Passport for crack while in Kenya.

Your lesson is even more valuable than mine.

fredr123 · 08-11-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

You still have it wrong. Try again. Just trying to be accurate here for who you are accusing and who should be red-faced.

From an earlier article on CBC:

Quote:

The High Commission of Canada in Nairobi sent a letter to Kenyan officials on May 28 that stated, "Please be advised that we have carried out conclusive investigations, including an interview, and have confirmed that the person brought to the Canadian High Commission on suspicion of being an impostor is not the rightful holder of the aforementioned Canadian passport."

High Commission of Canada in Nairobi = DFAIT

JustAnotherGuy · 08-11-2009, 09:25 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/sto...-court022.html

Quote:

Kenyan immigration officials said her facial features looked the same, but her lips looked different than those of the person in the passport photo, according to a document from Kenyan authorities.

starseed · 08-11-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

You still have it wrong. Try again. Just trying to be accurate here for who you are accusing and who should be red-faced.

I am not concerned with the opinion of the Kenyan officials, it was the Canadian officials who revoked the passport and said that she was not Canadian. It was the Canadian government that told the Kenyans to prosecute.

VladtheImpaler · 08-11-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

I am not concerned with the opinion of the Kenyan officials, it was the Canadian officials who revoked the passport and said that she was not Canadian. It was the Canadian government that told the Kenyans to prosecute.

I am guessing that one of the Kenyan employees of the Canadian High Commission in Kenya wanted a bribe because, well... that's why you get jobs like that in Kenya - to collect bribes. When said bribe wasn't forthcoming... said official demonstrated his/her ability to be vindictive.

Just my theory based on dealing with functionaries at Canadian consulates/embassies in countries where the "rule of law" is tenuous...

JustAnotherGuy · 08-11-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

I am not concerned with the opinion of the Kenyan officials, it was the Canadian officials who revoked the passport and said that she was not Canadian. It was the Canadian government that told the Kenyans to prosecute.

So you are accusing the Canadian Border Services of this mess. Which is not accurate. But you are not concerned? Interesting.

zuluking · 08-11-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

Raspberries on your cereal does not compare with border agents showing incredible incompetence in determining whether a citizen is or is not actually a citizen.

They say they conducted a 'thorough investigation' yet got this simple question wrong. As a result a Canadian citizen was branded an imposter and thrown in a foreign jail. Yet still, the Canadian government is refusing to comment saying: "It would be inappropriate to comment ... as this matter is still before the courts."
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/679235

So the government determines she is not a Canadian citizen, and tells the Kenyans to prosecute her, and now that their incompetence is shown to the whole world, they throw up their hands and say that it is up to the Kenyan courts? Really?

If this had happened to me, I cannot imagine how livid I would be after getting back.

It was merely a wild overstatement in response to your wild overstatement that the nation of Canada should be embarrassed because of a screw-up at the High Commission of Canada in Nairobi.

zuluking · 08-11-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

So you are accusing the Canadian Border Services of this mess. Which is not accurate. But you are not concerned? Interesting.

It's called faux-outrage.

Hack&Lube · 08-11-2009, 09:49 AM

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/679235

Has more details. I don't know if they are red faced yet, they are still in denial or backtracking or being shifty and making excuses.

starseed · 08-11-2009, 09:55 AM

I dont understand why some think this is not a black eye on the Canadian government. I do not think I am alone in thinking this is very embarassing. It is frightening to think I could be turned away from entering my own country because of the incompetence of a government office. It is enraging to think I could be thrown in jail virutally by my own government because of their screw up.

I want action taken on this issue. I want the government officials to stop saying 'no comment' and start saying 'we admit we made a mistake, we are doing everything we can to make this right and bring her home'. This cannot be pushed aside as a minor issue.

VladtheImpaler · 08-11-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starseed

I dont understand why some think this is not a black eye on the Canadian government. I do not think I am alone in thinking this is very embarassing. It is frightening to think I could be turned away from entering my own country because of the incompetence of a government office. It is enraging to think I could be thrown in jail virutally by my own government because of their screw up.

I want action taken on this issue. I want the government officials to stop saying 'no comment' and start saying 'we admit we made a mistake, we are doing everything we can to make this right and bring her home'. This cannot be pushed aside as a minor issue.

They are not going to say anything until they are convinced they were wrong, cut her a cheque, and she signs a release...