A terminally-ill refugee claimant from Lebanon has just been granted his dying wish by the federal government.
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After making a desperate plea to have his wife and two young children by his side, the government has granted their request for temporary resident permits (TRP).
Taha El Taha’s wife and two children received the TRPs from an immigration officer in Beirut Friday.
The 36-year-old stateless Palestinian from Lebanon was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 colorectal cancer in December, just days after crossing the border illegally at Roxham Road.
His family’s first request for a visitor’s visa was rejected.
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Global News first covered the story earlier this month, and the family’s TRP was granted just one week after it was filed.
“We are very pleased about this,” El Taha’s immigration consultant, Rami Alsaqqa, said.
“Taha’s wife is the one who found out they were accepted this morning when she received the permits.”
The NDP’s immigration critic spoke out about the case last week, calling it tragic and requesting ministerial intervention.
“A person is dying and he has one wish — to see his children and his wife,” Jenny Kwan said.
El Taha, an electrical engineer, is hoping his family can make it to Montreal before May 23, when he’s scheduled for abdominal surgery at the MUHC.
READ MORE: Terminally ill refugee claimant from Lebanon desperate to bring family to Canada
Doctors will remove a tumour in his chest and inject massive doses of chemotherapy.
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