Tell Canada to Grant Permanent Residency to Chris Reynolds
- by: Kristina Chew
- recipient: Canadian Legislature
An early medical assessment by Citizenship and Immigration Canada has concluded that 20-year-old Chris Reynolds, who has Asperger's Syndrome and Tourette's Syndrome, is "medically inadmissible" to Canada. The Canadian government has estimated that Chris' care could cost Canadians $7,000 a year.
Only 0.2 per cent of permanent residency applicants a year are said to be "inadmissible" to Canada, "for fear they would pose an excessive demand on the country's health care system," says the Toronto Star.
Chris is an American citizen; he was born in Nashville, Tennesee, and has lived in Toronto since 2007, with his father, Tom Reynolds, a tenured theology professor at the University of Toronto's Emmanuel College -- which in part serves students studying for ministry in the United Church of Canada -- and 17-year-old younger brother, who is still in high school. The Reynolds applied to immigrate from within Canada shortly after their arrival and have now withdrawn their application under the skilled worker program. They are now applying under the under the humanitarian and compassionate stream but the time to apply is running out as Chris will be 22 years old in two years and so unable to apply on his family's application.
An early medical assessment by Citizenship and Immigration Canada concluded that 20-year-old Chris Reynolds, who has Asperger's Syndrome and Tourette's Syndrome, is "medically inadmissible" to Canada. The Canadian government has estimated that Chris' care could cost Canadians $7,000 a year. Only 0.2 per cent of permanent residency applicants a year are said to be "inadmissible" to Canada, "for fear they would pose an excessive demand on the country's health care system," says the Toronto Star.
Chris is an American citizen; he was born in Nashville, Tennesee, and has lived in Toronto since 2007, with his father, Tom Reynolds, a tenured theology professor at the University of Toronto's Emmanuel College -- which in part serves students studying for ministry in the United Church of Canada -- and 17-year-old younger brother, who is still in high school. The Reynolds applied to immigrate from within Canada shortly after their arrival and have now withdrawn their application under the skilled worker program. They are now applying under the under the humanitarian and compassionate stream but the time to apply is running out as Chris will be 22 years old in two years and so unable to apply on his family's application.
It is unbelievable, and very troubling, that the Reynolds' application is being rejected in the very mistaken belief that Chris would be some kind of burden on the Canadian health system. If the assumption is being made that Chris, due to his disabilities, might not be able to contribute to Canada, someone is very mistaken. As Reynolds says in the Toronto Star:
"Even if Chris ends up needing continual care, is there nothing my family offers Canada to help offset the public cost of Chris?"
As Chris himself says in the Toronto Star:"I am a homebody," he said with a sheepish smile. "I am not good at starting a conversation and I get bad anxiety sitting in a car for too long."
Surely Canada is not going to wrest Chris away from his home?We ask again that you grant Chris and his family permanent residency in Canada. Chris has more than a lot of contribute to Canada, the country he calls home.
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