African delegates not granted visas in fear that they would try to seek refugee status.

The organizers of a series of conventions held in Quebec this summer are very upset with the Citizenship and Immigration Canada because they turned down the visa requests of many African citizens.

The organizers of a series of conventions held in Quebec this summer are very upset with the Citizenship and Immigration Canada because they turned down the visa requests of many African citizens. Citizenship and Immigration Canada did this because they thought that many of these Africans would try to remain in the country even after the event.

Thus, Ottawa rejected the requests of hundreds of delegates for various meetings that also included an international religious gathering held in June, fearing that once they enter, they might try to seek refugee status. The latest of all who have been bumped into problems with the immigration authorities are the organizers of an international seminar on education.

A spokesperson for the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Danielle Norris said that no racial profiling has been involved although he maintained that the department must consider the economic and political situation of the country of the applicant before granting them a visa. Norris said that they are working with the event organizers and they totally understand the importance of such meetings and seminars but emphasized on the fact that the visa officers have to make sure that their decision will not hamper the safety and security of the Canadians in any case.

Around 50 participants of the educational seminar were not granted visas although they had return tickets and letters of recommendation from the organizers in Canada as well as their affiliated association back home. The participants were coming from the African countries such as Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. Following this incident, Madeleine Baillargeon, secretary general of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education said that he is ashamed of his country. Baillargeon said that the way the authorities treated these people is unacceptable as Canada is supposed to be an open country. She added that all of them had proof to convince the immigration authorities that they have no intentions to remain here, still they were not allowed in.

Baillargeon said that she is astonished that the only people whose requests were turned down were from African countries and conceded that this cannot be a mere coincidence.

Amnesty International Canada is also worried about the situation. Amnesty spokesperson Anne Sainte-Marie said that for some reason the Africans citizens are targeted more by the immigration authorities in comparison to others.

Importantly, the Quebec government has raised its concerns over the issue and has asked the Federal government to arrange things faster for the upcoming events.