The New Democratic Party (NDP) and Québec solidaire (QS) are uniting to try to convince the federal government to cancel the imminent deportation of Shaitan Rajpurohit, an immigrant worker and unionist.
The two parties ask the Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, “to show humanity and grant an immune reprieve to Mr. Rajpurohit, who is an integrated and involved citizen,” declared Alexandre Boulerice, Member of Parliament for Rosemont. -La-Petite-Patrie and deputy leader of the NDP, at a press briefing in front of Mr. Miller’s offices in Montreal, Saturday morning.
Mr. Boulerice emphasizes that society needs people like him. He judges that the deportation of Mr. Rajpurohit would be “a tragedy and an absolute injustice”.
Present at his side, the solidarity MP for Laurier-Dorion, Andres Fontecilla, gave his party’s support to Mr. Rajpurohit’s efforts. “We have to give him the chance he deserves to stay here,” he said.
“Our message for Marc Miller is not complicated: give Shaitan a humanitarian reprieve to review his case and be able to keep him with us, as his employer wants and as community groups and unions want. Shaitan is a hard worker. He has been an essential worker in hospitals during the pandemic. He has a job and is involved and integrated into Quebec society. There is no reason to deport him,” argued Mr. Boulerice.
He took advantage of the opportunity to send an arrow at Mr. Miller. “Unfortunately, I feel like I’m in front of his office every weekend to prevent unjustified and unjust deportations. »
Until now, Mr. Rajpurohit has only received acknowledgments from the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. A situation deplored by the only Quebec MP from the NDP, who believes that it is his “responsibility to question Minister Miller”.
Time is running out: if the Chilean of Indian origin, who has been established in Quebec for five years, does not obtain a positive response by Monday, he will have to leave Canada on Tuesday morning.
“The best thing Mr. Miller could do to mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which takes place on Sunday, would be to allow Shaitan to stay here. It would be tragic to lose him. It’s a model of integration,” said Félix Lapan, secretary general of the Union of Injured or Sick Workers, an organization with which Mr. Rajpurohit actively collaborates.
“Everyone loves me here”
Mr. Boulerice wholeheartedly hopes that the joint intervention of the NDP and QS will allow the case to experience the same positive outcome as that of Deborah Adegboye. On April 2, three days before the fateful date, the beneficiary and her family obtained a temporary residence permit, which canceled their planned return to Nigeria. The previous week, MPs and community organizations held a press conference in front of the offices of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Shaitan Rajpurohit remains hopeful of receiving the same document. “I submitted my file in October to avoid deportation, but I still have not received a response. I have been waiting for over six months now. My employer even sent two letters because he wants to keep me in Quebec. My boss loves me even though I’m a union member! In fact, everyone loves me here. »
Moreover, several dozen people came to show their support. “Shaitan must stay. Let’s stop the deportations! », We could read on one of the signs made by sympathizers to his cause.
This support touched the main person concerned. “Thank you all for your solidarity,” he told the crowd into the microphone. I am very sad to have to leave Quebec and to lose all these people, who are my family now. »
Mr. Rajpurohit arrived in the country in 2019 as an asylum seeker with his wife and two daughters, now aged 8 and 14.
He fears a possible return to Chile, where he claims to be persecuted. “I am being sent back even though my passport is expired, so I will face problems once I arrive at the Santiago airport. »
Reached by The Canadian Press, the Immigration Department’s senior communications advisor, Bahoz Dara Aziz, wrote in an email that the department could not comment “on specific cases due to privacy legislation.” private life “.