A few weeks back I wrote a Kos diary about a Russian family who suddenly fled the country (leaving behind a prosperous small business) after police arrived at their door threatening arrest for treason after both parents picketed against the war in Ukraine. The article made the rec list and was read by hundreds of Kos members, so I wanted to update those who took an interest with the latest developments
The family spent a few days in Armenia and Georgia en-route to Canada, where they asked for political asylum when they arrived at Toronto airport on tourist visas. On April 28 they had a preliminary immigration hearing to determine whether the Canadian government was prepared to accept their application for refugee status and allow them to stay in the country until an asylum panel was able to adjudicate their application.
The preliminary hearing allowed their application for asylum to go forward, and authorized:
- the family to remain in Canada until the hearing next year
- the adults to obtain working papers and get jobs in Canada
- the daughters to attend public school in Canada
- three-month family pass at network of 20 municipal aquatic centers and indoor skating rinks
- the entire family to be covered by Canada’s no-premium universal health insurance
Putin’s loss, Canada’s gain
PHOTO OF MUNICIPAL AQUATIC CENTER