LETTERS: A good sign

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• COLUMN: Communication is a good sign
• A bad sign in Surrey
• Good folks out there
• Good column on David Suzuki
• Signs of contention
• Bike signs mean little

To all the people who think it is not politically correct to say Merry Christmas in Surrey because of our huge ethnic diversity, check out the lighted sign outside the Guru Nanak temple on Scott Road: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE. Speaks for itself!

-Joan Gunn

Where’s the compassion?

Sarah Tymoschuk’s letter about Laiber Singh has inaccuracies.

Please allow me to clarify.

You stated “Mr. Singh was not supposed to be in our country as of the moment his feet stepped on our soil using forged travelling papers...”

This statement implies Mr. Singh was in Canada illegally, which  is inaccurate and unfairly taints Mr. Singh.  Refugee claimants are not penalized for using false documents to come to Canada, as that is  many times the only way refugees  are able to travel/escape from their native  countries.  Mr. Singh was quite open and upfront about his documents being false.

As such, Mr. Singh was residing legally in Canada up until July 2007, when  a deportation order was issued. If Mr. Singh was in good health, there would be  little support for him; however, it blows my mind, that we would seek to deport him in the  shape he is in currently, given that  our laws  have the flexibility to  make allowances on compassionate grounds.  

On one hand  there is  a deportation order issued with little regard to  Mr. Singh’s health. On the other hand,  there are  at least 13 independent doctors  stating in no uncertain terms, that Mr. Singh’s health is  extremely fragile and that Mr. Singh should be allowed to stay in Canada on humanitarian grounds.

You  stated “I can understand the compassionate aspect to this story”... it may be our  definition  of  compassion  differs.

In my eyes, it is “compassionate” to allow Mr. Singh to live and to  not jeopardize his already frail  health. A deportation at this time is  absolutely not justified. 

-Perpinder Singh Patrola

He should go

Re: Editorial, “Should he stay or should he go?”

Mr. Balwant Gill and the community he speaks for are only confusing the issue when they state the East Indian community will financially support Mr. Singh if he is allowed to stay in Canada.

That is not the issue at hand. Mr. Singh tried to manipulate the immigration process going back to 2003. Now, he wants special treatment and has solicited that by seeking sanctuary within the Sikh community.

If the East Indian community wants to be seen as good citizens in their adopted country, they should support due process and the rule of law. What message do we want to send all the honest potential immigrants who seek citizenship in an honest and forthright manner?

Maybe Mr. Gill, and the East Indian community would be better intentioned to solicit financial support in the Sikh community for the four children Mr. Singh abandoned in India.

They are the real victims in this story.

-Don Graham