Tag Archives: Oscar Vigil

Oscar Vigil, interviewed in CBC Radio: “They are going to break my family”

“They are going to break my family.” Oscar Vigil has built a reputation as a leader of the Hispanic community in Canada. Earlier this year, his wife and grown children became Canadian citizens. But, according to the Canadian government, because of his cooperation with revolutionary forces during El Salvador’s lengthy civil war, Mr. Vigil could be deported very soon.

It’s worth noting that El Salvador’s former revolutionaries now make up the country’s duly-elected government — and maintain full diplomatic relations with Canada.

Carol Off spoke with Oscar Vigil and his lawyer, Stephen Foster, in As It Happens, the long-running interview show on CBC Radio One.

Click here to hear the interview »

MP Andrew Cash urges Government to reverse deportation of Oscar Vigil

MP for Davenport Andrew Cash

MP for Davenport Andrew Cash

This Wednesday, NDP MP for Davenport Andrew Cash asked the Conservative government to overturn a removal order for Oscar Vigil.

Oscar Vigil is a journalist from El Salvador who fled death threats and sought refugee status in Canada in 2001. His wife and three children have since been accepted by Canada’s immigrations services and have become Canadian citizens, but Vigil has been denied.

“The role of the Minister for Immigration should be to protect families, not break them up,” Andrew Cash asked in the House of Commons, “The Minister has the authority to reverse this deportation and keep this family together, will he do so?”

Continue Reading…

Article in ‘The Toronto Star’: “Salvadoran journalist faces ‘unfair’ deportation”

By Oakland Ross, Toronto Star. Published on March 31, 2014

A leading member of Canada’s Hispanic community faces deportation and the probable breakup of his family because he once acted as an informal liaison arranging contacts between armed rebels and foreign journalists covering the civil war that convulsed El Salvador during the 1980s.

“I think this is extremely unfair,” said Vilma Filici, former president of the Canadian Hispanic Congress, referring to the impending deportation of reporter and community activist Oscar Vigil, 48.

“Oscar is an incredible human being. He has done an incredible amount of work on behalf of the Latin community. He is not a danger to the public. He’s an asset to Canada.”

Vigil, who has been in Canada for more than a decade, has been ordered to leave as soon as the Salvadoran consulate in Toronto can issue him a passport. He has no Canadian travel documents.

Following a series of unsuccessful appeals, the final decision to deport Vigil was taken by Citizenship and Immigration Canada this past February, even though it will almost certainly result in the breakup of his family.

Continue reading in The Toronto Star »

Hope, justice and the support of many friends: the Vigil Campaign is underway

Michelle Millard and Francisco Rico

Michelle Millard and Francisco Rico

By Rebeka Lauks

On March 24th, 2014, Francisco Rico-Martinez of the FCJ Refugee Centre and Michelle Millard of York University welcomed over 100 individuals to the official launch of the Vigil Campaign at the Church of the Holy Trinity. The Vigil Campaign has come together in support of Oscar Vigil, a loving husband, caring father, and valued member of the community.

Oscar and his family came to Canada in 2001 seeking refugee protection. While his wife and three children have all now received Canadian citizenship, Oscar has spent the last 13 years in legal status limbo and is now being threatened with deportation back to El Salvador. It is for this reason that the Vigil Campaign is presently mobilizing to increase public support for his case and to pressure the Minister to grant relief to Oscar so that he may remain in Canada with his family.

Continue Reading…

Launching the Vigil Campaign

The Vigil Campaign is officially taking off today!

Come and learn about the problem of national security and “inadmissibility” in the refugee context.

  • The place: The Holy Trinity Church, 10 Trinity Square, Toronto (West of the Eaton Centre).
  • The time: 6:00 pm

Thank you everyone for your beautiful words of solidarity and support.

Looking forward to seeing all of you.

Here it is the program for today:

launching vigil campaign program