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| Africa North | |
| Ben Ali family members arrive in Canada | |
| 2011-01-23 | |
Relatives of Tunisia's ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali have arrived in Canada, a government official in Ottawa said on Saturday. The official confirmed, without offering details, a report in Le Journal de Quebec, which said one of Ben Ali's many brothers-in-law arrived in Montreal Friday morning aboard a private jet accompanied by his wife, their children and a governess.
An official at Citizenship and Immigration Canada said Ottawa was not offering asylum to Ben Ali's family. "Mr. Ben Ali, deposed members of the former Tunisian regime and their immediate families are not welcome in Canada," said spokesman Douglas Kellam. "Anyone entering Canada must pass a number of tests. In the case of Tunisians, they must have a valid visa issued by the government of Canada." The official added that visas "are only issued by our officers when they are satisfied that the individual will leave Canada once the visa expires. Given that members of the regime cannot return to Tunisia, that would be a challenge." The news of the arrivals drew protests from Tunisians in Montreal, many of who had demonstrated in Canada against the former regime. "These people need to answer for their actions before Tunisians, in Tunisia," said Sonia Djelidi, a member of a group organizing protests. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 Whew! I thought I was going senile, Alaska Paul! (Which I have done before. Fortunately, they have a medicine which fixed it for me.) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-01-23 19:32 |
| #3 Woops, wrong first comment posting: TW---the red imprint of the Scarlet Pumpernickel, ya say? /channeling Daffy Dumas Duck |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2011-01-23 18:13 |
| #2 Weather for Montreal, QC, Canada -2°F | °C Current: Partly Cloudy Wind: W at 2 mph Humidity: 34% Sun -3°F | -20°F Mon -1°F | -6°F Tue 17°F | 4°F Wed 20°F | 14°F Thurs Just in time for the Late January Thaw - Wind Chill factor taday is Negative -52°F |
| Posted by: Goodluck 2011-01-23 11:49 |
| #1 "we have always been fans of the CFL, Hocket, and Moosehead beer. Give us asylum. We can pay" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-01-23 11:34 |