All of them believe that war in Iraq is wrong

Thirteen anti-war deserters who had sought refugee in Canada in order to avoid fighting in Iraq now fear deportation from Canada. The House of Commons voted to request the Conservative government to allow these war resisters to stay in Canada, but the Conservative minority government is not sympathetic. Speaking on behalf of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, Alykhan Velshi said that the government remains convinced that US military deserters are not genuine refugees and do not fall under the internationally accepted definitions of people in need of protection.

Subsequently, these matters have been left to the courts and the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Robin Long is a deserter who was deported to the US and who on August 22 was sentenced to fifteen months of military prison and a dishonorable discharge. Currently, Cliff Cornell was under order to leave Canada by the 24th of December. A newspaper letter writer with a black sense of humor suggested a positive side by saying that Cornell will be home for Christmas. Thankfully, his deportation has been delayed and he has got some more time to fight for his cause. He is currently working as an assistant manager of a store in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Others refugees fighting deportation include Jeremy Hinzman in Toronto with his wife and child; Brandon Hughey; Joshua Key with his wife and children; Ryan Johnson with his wife; Patrick Hart with his wife and son; Christian Kjar; Corey Glass; Phil McDowell; Dean Walcott; Steve Yoczik, and along with these men is Kimberly Rivera, the fist women war resister in Canada, here with her family. All of them have a one thing in common is that they believe that the war against Iraq is wrong. As Hughey puts it- soldiers have every right to refuse to take part in a war that is not only illegal, but immoral as well.