Iranian immigrant investors shut out of provincial programs

[polly7]

TU THANH HA
The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Jan. 02 2015, 8:30 PM EST
Last updated Friday, Jan. 02 2015, 11:56 PM EST

Four years ago, an Iranian accountant named Keihan Pouresmaeili applied to immigrate to Manitoba. He appreciated Canada’s multiculturalism, had visited Winnipeg and wanted to see his children educated there.

Manitoba accepted his application in 2013 under a program for immigrant investors, giving him high hopes he’d be moving soon.



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More than a year later, however, Mr. Pouresmaeili is still in Tehran, his application stalled for the past 14 months, waiting for the green light from the Department of Foreign Affairs to allow him to transfer his money to Canada. Mr. Pouresmaeili, like dozens of other would-be immigrant investors from Iran, says that he is a victim of Ottawa’s economic sanctions against Iran, which curtail financial dealings between the two countries. While Ottawa has indicated the sanctions aren’t meant to punish individual Iranians, advocates for the Iranian community describe the delays faced by immigrants as an overzealous interpretation of the economic sanctions.

The delay is particularly unnerving because Mr. Pouresmaeili’s 17-year-old son, Hesan, is approaching the age where he would be conscripted into the Iranian military, which would derail the family’s plans to resettle together in Canada.

Full story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/iranian-immigrant-investors-shut-out-of-provincial-programs/article22282232/

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced sanctions in 2010, saying they “are in no way intended to punish the Iranian people.”

Two-faced Harper's Irainian immigration policies are insane and bigoted. He's replaced Blair as poodle of the decade.

[riverbendviewgal]

1. voting Harper out in 2015

He is hurting people and our country

[polly7]

2. Definitely.

I long for the day I don't have to see his arrogant face anymore .... anywhere. He did say when he was done with Canada we wouldn't recognize it, and he sure has done his best to fulfill that promise. Let's just hope we can do a lot better.