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Bruce Perreault, B.A., LL.B, K.H.S. is a graduate of The University of Montreal (Loyola College) and of McGill Law School.  He practiced law from 1975-1989.  For over twelve years his practice has been handling exclusively Immigration matters.  He is a member of CSIC and the Canadian Bar Association.

Dear Bruce: Many thanks for your good job. My question is, my wife is in Ghana. I don’t want to sponsor her to come and stay in Canada, because I have had a previous experience with my first wife leaving me just after one year of being in Canada. However, anytime my wife goes to the embassy for a visa, she gets rejected. What advice can you give because I only need her here for about three to four months in every year?

Kofi Mensah, Mississauga

Dear Kofi:
I am not sure whether or not to take this question seriously but I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say I believe you are legitimate in this question.  Your wife will never get a Visa to come to Canada.   She is married to you and, unless you sponsor her, she stays in Ghana.  I am not sure why you “require” your wife in Canada for only a few months a year, but it leads me to the conclusion that you are either trying to take advantage of her for your own purposes and, as a result, both the bona fides of this “marriage” would be questioned, as would whether or not she would even be able to maintain her residency in Canada, even were you so kind and generous as to sponsor her.  Either you are a selfish idiot or you are only selfish and think you are quite smart.  Whichever it is, get a life and a real wife!

Dear Bruce: Is there a faster means to sponsor one’s partner from Ghana to Canada? I am asking this because I can’t wait for two years.

Owusu, Toronto

Dear Owusu: There is no “fast track” method to get your spouse here.  Your timeframe of two years, in fact, may be wishful thinking.  Accra is VERY slow and tends to turn down more marriage sponsorships than they accept.  You better start your application now and, if you cannot wait, join her in Ghana or divorce her.  Sorry!

Dear Bruce: My refugee claim was rejected by the board about four years ago. All my appeals and HCRs were rejected as well. However, for the past four years, I have not heard anything from the Immigration Board anymore. I have not changed my address or my lawyer. Please, Bruce, what do you advise me to do? Should I let sleeping dogs lie or should I go forward and ask what’s going on with my papers? I don’t have a work permit. I have just been doing odd jobs to keep me going. Please advise.

Johnny, Montreal

Dear Johnny: You are a time bomb waiting to explode.  You may have an arrest warrant against you, but definitely can be arrested without a warrant.  Hiding in the sand like an ostrich is silly.  You may have grounds, depending on your history, to apply under Section 25 of The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.  Contact your lawyer and take your head out of the sand before the water covers it and you drown.

Dear Bruce: While in Accra last year, I met and befriended a young Liberian refugee family, who have been living in Accra for five years. They have asked me for my help to come to Canada. Please, what are the possible means to help this family come to Canada?

Wofa, Toronto

Dear Wofa,
There is a policy of helping refugees similar to the ones that you describe.  If you are sincere, contact someone who is licensed to practice Immigration and, with help from some five friends of yours who share your wish to help, you will be on your way.  Good Luck!

Dear Bruce: My fourteen year old boy is becoming a very bad boy; he is involved with drugs, stealing and guns. A friend of his was killed not too long ago. My son is a Canadian Citizen.  I want to send him back to Ghana for some good discipline. Please, will I be breaking the law, since I intend to take his Canadian papers away? Please advise.

Paul

Dear Paul: This, unfortunately, is a very common and growing problem.  I share your agony and sorrow but not your solution to your problem.  This boy is a Canadian Citizen and you cannot take his “papers” away.  If you tried that, Accra would allow him to come back to Canada by issuing him a new passport when your son explained what you did.  You believe he needs “discipline”, but I am not sure what you mean and I don’t really want to go there.  You might also consider the fact that your son could sue you for any damages you might cause him and for taking away his “liberty”.  Maybe your family needs to seek counseling here in Canada.  This is a Canadian problem and requires a Canadian approach.  I am sure Ghana would not want this Canadian who is a quasi-criminal and why should they?  Good luck!

Dear Bruce: Three years ago my wife was told by Immigration Canada to go back to Ghana so that I can sponsor her from there. After being in Accra for a year and a half, her sponsorship application was rejected. Six months ago, I brought my wife back to Toronto from Ghana through the back door. Still, my wife is without papers, we have two great kids together, please advice what steps or directions should we take next.

Sammy, Hamilton

Dear Sammy: I referred to Accra’s terrible record with Marriage Sponsorships earlier and your wife is probably the victim of that statistic.  It is interesting to note that you don’t mention whether or not you appealed the rejection.  With two children, you should have won!  Now that she is here, you should file a Humanitarian and Compassionate Application immediately.  A competent specialist in this area should be able to put forward the best interests of your children and reasons why an exemption should be granted to your wife to allow her to apply from within Canada.  It looks like a winner to me!  Hope all goes well and regards to my friends in Hamilton who formed a Ghanaian community there so long ago

If you want to write to Bruce, you may send your letter care of the Ghanaian Mirror, you may fax it directly to Bruce at 416-932-1844 or you may email it to bruce@perreaultandassociates.com.