Editor:
My brother and his 84-year-old wife, being residents and citizens of this great country, never thought twice of sending airline tickets and a covering letter for a visitor’s visa to their grandson and his wife.
They were shocked when a Canadian Embassy turned down this visa application, feeling without any justification that they would not honour their visa and stay in this country. This despite this couple being property owners, having professional careers, substantial funds to cover their three-week stay and no criminal convictions.
My brother’s pleas to both Ottawa and the Canadian Embassy fell on deaf ears, with the only recourse left for this couple was to reapply. They were once again rejected.
Fearing that they would never see their grandchildren and a great-granddaughter again, my brother and his wife closed their Canadian business and have gone back ‘home’ to live close to their family.
Maybe if they had Conrad Black’s connections for fast-tracked visas, they would not have left Canada thoroughly disillusioned with a government that ignores requests of its ordinary hard-working citizens.
Bill Anderson, Surrey