I would like to thank you for the Nowrouz (New Year) wishes on behalf of all people in No Deportations to Iran and the Iranian-Canadian community who share my thoughts. We do not have any doubt in the sincerity in your kind wishes.

However, we wonder how to be happy during these holidays, when at the same time you presented us with an yidi (new year gift)of nine deportations. One of those deportees, is a pregnant woman, another one was apprehended and transferred to a detention centre directly from the airport. Both refugee claimants passed the New Year in prison. The nine deportees were not the only ones who were suffering during these holidays. Their families, friends, and indirectly the entire community were affected as well.

We were pleased to see your interview on TV TEN on March 24th and to be informed that you have accorded afresh second review to all Iranian deportees. We were also pleased to hear you acknowledging that Iran is not a safe country. However, we all had one question in mind and were surprised why the interviewer, Shahram Shahramian, did not address it. We all wonder why the Canadian government does not put a halt on all deportations to Iran as long as the Iranian regime continues to behave in such an inhuman way.

I would like also to thank you for the special attention that your administration paid to all six deportations since Kavoos Soofi's case in January 2012. Although these deportations were stopped and the deportees were allowed to stay in Canada, none of them can forget the difficult period of time that they went through; imprisonment, humiliation, inhuman treatment in jail, private information being publicly exposed, stress and suffering due to receiving several times deportation dates and their cancellations sometimes just a few minutes later. Although we do not compare these unfortunate experiences in the deportees' lives with the torture, suffering and pressure inflicted by the Iranian regime, I believe that such treatments should not be allowed in Canada, a country symbolizing human rights across the world.

Also, I would like to thank you for the unity that you have created around the issue of refugees. For the first time in 20 years that I am living in this country, I am witnessing such a common agreement around the subject of support for refugees in our community. I see how our community is becoming involved in the social struggle for justice in Canada. I see how people are realizing that they have neglected their duties toward the society they live in. Those of us who were active, used to focus our attention only toward the fight and protest against the Iranian regime and have forgotten that we are now Canadian citizens. Many of us are experiencing for the first time what is like to be a free human being and to raise one's voice in a democratic country for a right cause without fear.

To resume, I would appreciate if you could give a priority to the important issue of Iranian refugees and help stop immediately all deportations to Iran.

Medi Shams - Member of NDTI

cc: Stephen Harper, PM
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vic Toews, Minister Citizenship and Public safety
Reza Moridi, MP - Richmond Hill
Iranian- Canadian Congress
Iranian- Canadian Media