This story could get very complicated. First of all, I feel that the OPP had no jurisdiction in this Immigration matter. How he got arrested on the spot is very surprising to me. I know that Immigration Canada is not a government agency to be underestimated when it comes to enforcing the law, either. For example, if you come to Canada on a Tourist Visa and are found to be working, not only will you be obliged to leave, you will also not likely be allowed to return. If you come on any sort of Visa and overstay your welcome, the same is likely true. We all know this. I imagine this young man is bright and hard working, however, he came to Canada on a Student Visa, not a Work Visa. He is bright enough to have understood the rules and also the consequences for breaking the rules. I am quite sure he signed a contract acknowledging these very rules. Now, that is the legal side of things. But here is the human element that comes into play. He is a student. He is trying to make ends meet. He made a mistake. If not everyone knows this, Immigration enforcement in other countries varies. For example, my daughter went to Brazil for 3 months to accompany her now husband while he finished his studies. She renewed her Visa for an additional 3 months and then stayed on for an additional 9 months without a Visa. In Brazil this is called an "Adminstrative issue and nothing is done aside from charging a fine. Of course, she investigated all of this before she stayed on for the additional 9 months. But my point is, that many countries around the world look at these issues in a different light. Some countries strictly enforce the conditions of Visas, others don't. I believe that Canada should. But we have to remember that people from around the world come to Canada with different cultural backgrounds and different experiences in their homelands. That is what makes us so vibrant as a country. It is possible that because this story has become so public, Immigration will have to decide whether to send a strong message of deterrence to the public and deport him, or reprimand him at the very least. We have all made mistakes and we all continue to make them. It would be a sad day in Canadian precedent to see a spectacle made of him. I am sure many foreign students are doing the same, but fly under the radar and get by just fine until they graduate. I would also like to address the company that hired him. Shame on them! Firstly, was he driving with a legitimate license? How did he get hired? This is where I think the heavy handed response should come into play. If he was driving a commercial vehicle without the proper training or qualifications, there is a bigger problem on hand. I would be in favour of investigating the company he was driving for. They should be held accountable for hiring a worker to do a job they know he is not legally entitled to do, if this is the case. I think I find this more infuriating than the student's mistake. This is a long ramble for the Friday of a long weekend. Sorry!
