NCA member, protesters scuffle briefly in Halifax

HALIFAX • Protesters had a minor scuffle with a member of a Calgary-based group with controversial views on immigration Friday evening during a gathering the group held in a downtown Halifax park after it was refused three indoor venues.

The National Citizens Alliance had arranged to meet in Victoria Park, after being told they were no longer allowed to host a town hall at a Royal Canadian Legion in Halifax.

Three or four members of the alliance gathered near the park, while more than two dozen protesters loudly chanted their opposition to the group’s views.

Reporters watched as several members of the alliance retreated across the street toward the entrance area of the Lord Nelson Hotel, where protesters followed them.

One protester argued with an alliance member while another wrestled a sign out of his hands and tore it to pieces.

Flanked by police, the two sides engaged in a shouting match before the alliance members walked away to an unknown location.

“We definitely showed them that Halifax won’t stand for xenophobia and Islamophobia,” said activist Jessica Dueling after the men left. “We showed them that we stand together as a community today, that we stand with all our neighbours.”

The National Citizens Alliance had been set to host its meeting at a legion branch in Halifax’s north end Friday evening, but the event was cancelled by the legion on Thursday.

“The original booking was made by an individual for a private function. When RCL Branch 27 learned that the booking was intended as a town-hall meeting for the National Citizens Alliance, the booking was cancelled,” Valerie Mitchell-Veinotte, executive-director of Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command, told Global News.

The alliance promotes the idea of “integration” of new arrivals into what it calls the “basic cultural norms of Canada,” as well as a belief that political correctness threatens Canada’s identity and culture.

The group was recently banned from participating in the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival, whose organizers apologized on Sunday after the NCA walked in its parade.

“We apologize to anyone who may have felt unsafe at the Grand Street Parade because of this political party’s attendance and derogatory messaging,” organizers of the weeklong festival in Kentville, N.S., said in a statement.

Stephen Garvey, leader of the NCA, said on Thursday that he rejects the characterization of the alliance, adding that no one in his party made hateful comments or uttered any hate speech.

Garvey added his group doesn’t tolerate racism, and argued that his organization was taking part in the parade just like other political parties were.

The NCA is not an officially registered party but has committed to running candidates in the 2019 federal election.

“They’re the ones dividing people,” he said. “If we offended people, that’s their problem, not ours. As far as we’re concerned, we probably added some nice spice to the festival.”

Garvey said the group wanted to host a town hall at the Halifax legion to clear up the confusion that has plagued it since it made headlines with its role in the Apple Blossom Festival.

Among the group’s core tenets is the goal of implementing a “strong no-nonsense immigration policy that puts the well-being and safety of the Canadian people first and implementing a temporary pause and substantial reduction in immigration.”

WHO ARE THEY TO JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT THAT MARRIAGE IS WELLMATCHED.

OTTAWA • A letter from a Canadian immigration officer to a female applicant in Pakistan questions the legitimacy of her marriage, noting she is three years older than her husband, a Canadian citizen.

The immigration officer based in London, England, told the woman her permanent residency application appears suspect for a number of reasons.

“You and your sponsor (husband) do not appear well matched,” the letter states, a copy of which was provided to The Canadian Press.

“You are three years older than him, he comes from a town four hours from where you live and you are not related, so it is unclear to me why the match was made.”

It is unusual for Pakistani men to marry older women, especially if they are not related, the unnamed immigration officer writes. The officer also notes their wedding guest list of 123 people was small compared to traditional Pakistani weddings.

“This apparent deviation from the cultural norm raises concerns that your wedding may have taken place in order for you to gain permanent residence in Canada.”

The applicant’s husband is a Canadian citizen who has lived in Canada since 2005.

Federal NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan says the letter is “offensive and insulting.”

She has asked Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen to look into what she calls a systemic problem with the way Hussen’s department is treating applications under the spousal sponsorship program.

“To me, it’s completely inappropriate and I think it’s offensive and insulting,” Kwan said.

“I would like for the government to look at the systemic issue of this letter and why such letters are being sent out through those spousal sponsorship applications.”

Kwan said she followed up with the department, only to find letters with such language are routinely sent to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to “’tease out a response.”’

“Who are they to judge whether or not that marriage is well-matched?” Kwan said.

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I do not believe in the authenticity of this marriage,’ it’s another to make a judgment on the quality of the marriage ... I find that offensive.”

Kwan raised the issue in question period this week and again with Hussen during a Commons committee meeting Thursday, asking for the government to review its treatment of spousal applicants.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the program during question period, saying he was pleased his government has reduced a backlog of applications under spousal sponsorship and has also reduced waiting times from two years to 12 months.

“We also know there is more to do,” Trudeau said.

Improvements to the program have been made, and scrutinizing spousal sponsorship applications is an important part of the work of his department, Hussen added.

“Our department continues to uphold measures to safeguard against marriage fraud and other program integrity risks.”

Indeed, it’s not uncommon for the immigration minister to become involved in cases involving spousal sponsorship that go before the courts.

Last week, a Federal Court judge rejected a judicial review application from Hussen’s office in a spousal case that was initially rejected and then won on appeal.