[OPIRG-EVENTS] Tues.Dec.24 - Stay Tuned for Santa on Parliament Hill

[Katherine Gunn <kglist@magma.ca>]

Watch for confirmation on Monday of the details.  The group
Midwives and Mothers Watching Globally hope to hold a repeat of the very
successful SANTA BARRED FROM THE USA event -  last year's demo
challenged the increasing Canadian and American security paranoia which 
threatens free speech, freedom of dissent, and other important issues,
disguised as 'the war against terror(ism)'.

Probably:   Tues. Dec. 24,
        Parliament Hill -  12:15


SANTA MAY NOT RISK THE U.S. BORDER THIS YEAR: American kids could miss out
on Santa Claus' presence as well as presents

OTTAWA - American children may not be graced with Santa Claus' presence or
presents this year. Santa, the elf lawyer representing him, Rudolf and the
reindeer are coming to town to seek advice about whether or not he
should risk crossing the border into the United States from Canada December
24.  As Santa may not be able to receive assurances from Prime Minister
Jean Chertier or Bill Graham, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs,
about his safety, he is asking Canadian children and parents to gather with
him at the Centennial Flame 12:15 Monday.  Santa will lead his procession up
to the steps of Parliament and then hold a press conference at the flame
when the children may have to help him write letters of condolence to
American children who have been good.

Santa has been alarmed with a recent event in which a Canadian citizen on
his way home to Canada from vacationing in Tunisia with his family was
detained in New York by U.S. immigration authorities and deported to Syria
without evidence of wrongdoing. His only crime seems to be that he was born
in Syria, a country he hasn't set foot in since immigrating to Canada at age
17 in 1988.   His wife and children have not been able to see or contact him
for three months.

Santa has good reason to be cautious.  He has a beard.  He gives out toys
and talks to people of all races indiscriminately around the world. Santa
may have spoken to children whose fathers might have friends who spoke to
brothers of neighbors who might have had pizza delivered to their home in
the last 8 years. He goes down people's chimneys in the middle of the night.

Last year after the Canadian anti-terrorist bill was passed, the CBC and
Reuters reported the untimely detention of Santa just before Christmas.
Under the falling snow and the freshly passed Canadian anti-terrorist bill
he was detained without charge for three days, without the ability to speak
to a lawyer.  Just like Maher Afar, who is detained in jail in Syria, and on
whom no incriminating documentation has been presented, Santa could be
apprehended at the border, interrogated and deported for being "up to no
good," and "more naughty than nice."

The Midwives and Mothers Watching Globally group has been concerned because,
although they know that the children of Iraq are not expecting Santa and his
reindeer among the B52 bombers this year, even the American children may not
be recipients of the elves' hard work this year. Santa has recently taken a
stand not to carry in his sack, toy guns, GI Joes and other toy military
hardware still popular in America.

Santa wants to find out whether Canada's foreign affairs department ever
lifted the warning to Canadians about the risks of traveling to the US, and
whether the US has put in writing their pledge to Canada to stop
fingerprinting or photographing anyone born in Middle Eastern and other
Muslim countries.

Contact: Betty-Anne Davis, Midwives and Mothers Watching Globally 730 0282
or 594 7770



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