OTTAWA - American army deserters looking for refuge in Canada may soon find the process more difficult.
The Harper government has issued what it calls an Operational Bulletin to immigration officers across Canada dealing with all cases of military desertion.
So far the immigration department knows of 50 cases involving Americans that have gone AWOL and eight cases of Afghan soldiers coming to Canada after walking out of a military base in Texas.
“The bulletin was put forward to ensure a consistent practice,” said Alykhan Velshi, a spokesman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
The bulletin informs immigration officers that soldiers deserting a foreign military may be inadmissible to Canada.
Desertion is a crime in both the United States and Canada, while other countries also have laws against leaving the armed forces without permission.
Most of the American and Afghan soldiers who have come to Canada have claimed refugee status. Velshi says a proven refugee claim requires that the applicant show they will be persecuted if returned home, something he says won’t happen with the Americans.
“I find it hard to believe that Barack Obama is persecuting American citizens,” said Velshi.
So far sentences for desertion from the U.S. military have ranged from
12 to 15 months in prison.
