No One Is Illegal group to march

No One Is Illegal group to march

MONTREALarea refugees and their supporters–organized in a coalition called Solidarity Across Borders–are planning a week-long walk to Ottawa from June 18-25th, 2005, to demand rights and regularization for non-status people in Canada.

On Tuesday, June 7th, members of immigrant and refugee rights groups, trade unions, and community agencies in Toronto delivered a letter from the Solidarity Across Borders coalition to Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Joe Volpe. This letter delivery marked the beginning of Toronto-area support for the Solidarity Across Borders 7-day march to Ottawa. The delegation of representatives included Winnie Ng (Canadian Labour Congress), Francisco Rico (Canadian Council for Refugees and FCJ Hamilton House), Maya Roy (Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre), and representatives from the Bangladesh Refugee Claimants Association, the Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees, and the International Federation of Iranian Refugees and No One Is Illegal-Toronto.

The No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa will be in support of the main demands of the Solidarity Across Borders coalition: the regularization of all non-status persons; an end to the deportation and detention of migrants, immigrants and refugees; and the abolition of security certificates.

Solidarity Across Borders is dealing with the severe, daily injustices which non-status people face in Canada, and long-distance marches have been a historically popular tactic to face injustice. The march to Ottawa this June occurs on the 10th anniversary of the Bread and Roses March (1995), organized by the Fèdèration des Femmes du Quèbec, and the 70th anniversary of the On to Ottawa Trek (1935), organized by the unemployed workers during the Great Depression. The No One Is Illegal March in Ottawa is organized in the tradition of those marches and others.

Toronto organizers are also launching a community fair at Dufferin Grove park to mark the beginning of the march on Ottawa. In addition, representatives from Toronto will be joining the march in a caravan on the third day. Toronto supporters will also be sending buses to meet the marchers in Ottawa on June 25th.

For more information contact No One Is Illegal Toronto, call Sima Zerehi at 416-893-4053; Mohan Mishra, 416-999-9546.

(PRESS RELEASE)