Watch above: An Edmonton man is vowing to fight a deportation order he says was handed down because of his family’s ties to a well-known terrorist group. He’s calling the federal government order “a death sentence” and he’s hoping the government will have a change of heart. Shallima Maharaj reports.
EDMONTON — An Edmonton man vows to fight a deportation order he says was handed down to him because of his family’s ties to a well-known terrorist group. John Calvin hopes the federal government will reconsider the order and let him stay in Canada.
“It made me feel like I’m a dead man walking,” said 24-year-old John Calvin, who received the letter in the mail on New Year’s Eve.
The deportation order obtained by Global News states Calvin was born in the West Bank region of the Palestinian territories in 1990. The order also states Calvin testified his maternal grandfather was a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and one of the founders of Hamas.
Five of his uncles either are or have been imprisoned by Israel for offences including planning and directing suicide bombings and manufacturing bombs, the documents state.
Calvin said he publicly renounced his family’s extremist views; his change of heart started when he was 14 years old.
“I did not like Hamas. I did not like their ideologies. It never made sense to me,” Calvin explained.
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Calvin converted to Christianity in 2010. He said his father attempted to stab him after learning of his religious beliefs.
“I ended up jumping out of the window and I escaped and was helped and headed into a different city in the West Bank.”
In late 2010, Calvin accepted a scholarship to a Bible college in Toronto. He applied for refugee status in 2011, but said his claim was suspended in July 2012.
“The very simple answer is that he is a good, honest, kind and generous person who hasn’t done anything wrong,” said Cameron Mosimann, Calvin’s friend. “The longer answer is that he’s trapped in bureaucracy.”
Calvin said he has been sentenced for apostasy in the Palestinian Territory for deserting his religious beliefs, which is an offence punishable by death. He’s also gay.
“Being gay is absolutely unacceptable. It is punishable by death and a very, very painful and publicly shaming death,” said Calvin.
Calvin has 30 days to appeal the decision.
The Canada Border Services Agency said it will have more information about the case later this week.
With files from Shallima Maharaj, Global News.
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