Allow Juana Tejada to stay - and die - in Canada

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

We, the undersigned, respectfully file this petition on behalf of cancer-stricken Juana Tejada, a Filipina caregiver, who has been ordered to leave the country by August 8 and whose application for permanent residency has been refused on the ground that her illness might pose excessive burden on the health care system.

We regard the deportation order against Tejada as no less than a death sentence, and a cruel and inhumane decision.  It tarnishes Canada's excellent international reputation as a humane and compassionate nation.  Already, world-wide indignation and scorn over Canada's decision is starting to build up as this story unfolds and catches increasing media attention across the globe.

Like the thousands who hope for a better life in Canada, for themselves and their loved ones, Tejada answered Canada's call for caregivers and has served in Canada since 2003, separated from her husband and 6 siblings.  She worked hard in a low-paying job that often demands more than the usual number of working hours that other working Canadians enjoy, to earn her right to become a permanent resident. But for her medical condition, she would have been assured of permanent residency, able to sponsor her family, after the required 3 years of service as a caregiver under Canada's Live-In Caregiver Program.  Her cancer is a disease she did not choose to have.  She might even have contracted the disease in this country.  During all the 3 years when she was able, Tejada, in her small way, had supported the health-care system that she now desperately needs to give her a certain measure of care.

She is no burden to the health care system.  She is being looked after by generous and compassionate doctors who are providing their services for free.  Denied health coverage, she is buying her medications with the financial support of friends, neighbours, and members of her community.

Even granting that there is a cost to the system, surely, it cannot be said that in order to save a few thousand dollars in health care costs in this isolated case, Canada is prepared to suffer the ignominy of sending Tejada back to her homeland, the Philippines, a country with no socialized health care system, to die. 

Caregivers like Tejada provide valuable home care services to thousands of Canadian families. They enable Canadians who use their services to lead productive lives, and to maximize their contributions to society. Unlike the thousands of refugees Canada is known to accept and protect from potential harm or death, Tejada has served this country and paid her taxes dutifully.  She has more reasons to seek humanitarian protection and care from Canada than most refugees.

She entered the country lawfully, responded to Canada's call for caregiver services, followed the rules, broke no laws, paid her dues, worked hard, and gave so much of herself as a caregiver.  She has come to love this country.  She deserves to be treated as a human being and not as an inanimate tool that is simply thrown away when no longer serviceable.

She is in a most difficult situation.  The loss of her status as a would-be immigrant is weighing down heavily on her and her loved ones, on top of her deadly medical condition.  Please do not make her feel unwanted in her dying days and please allow her to die in dignity and in peace in the country that she has come to love. It takes very little for Canada and Canadians to alleviate her plight. In the context of everything that Canada has done for humanity, including providing aid to poor nations and accepting refugees, your decision to allow her to stay is a tiny but extremely important gesture, given that Canada's reputation is at stake.

We appeal to you to reverse the Immigration Department's deportation  order and allow her to remain in Canada for treatment.  Further, we appeal to you to grant a ministerial permit allowing her visiting husband to remain and obtain gainful employment in Canada so he can help financially with her care, and ultimately bring her family to Canada for a chance at a better future.

Canada's greatness as a country rests, not on the stone-cold and literal application of its laws, but on the humane application of such laws and the wisdom of its national leaders in doing what is morally right. Collectively, we strongly believe that allowing Tejada to stay, work, and be granted permanent residency status on compassionate grounds is the right thing to do.

We urge you, Prime Minister Harper, to give your utmost consideration to this petition.  Please have the courage and the heart to act favorably on this petition, knowing that the great majority of decent and well-meaning Canadians are with you on this matter.  In doing so, not only will you have granted a dying person's wish, but will have erased the ugly impression of an inhumane Canada that has been or is being created in the minds of people around the world by the Immigration Department's unfortunate and ill-advised decision.

Please grant this petition as early as possible so that Tejada may have some peace and joy in her last days here on earth and in order that Canada may not suffer irreversible damage to its international reputation as a kind-hearted nation.

We thank you for your time in considering this petition and we look forward to your positive disposition of our request.