Sample messages and emails are below. Please call/write to demand Palestinian drone-strike survivor Mohammed Alzaza receive immediate surgery in Canada. His private refugee sponsorship was approved over a year ago. Eventually, he will arrive in Canada, but it is unclear when. Another year? Two more years? Making him wait overseas, where he cannot access the critical surgery he needs and daily suffers unbearable pain, is cruel, and without legal or moral justification.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
SAMPLE EMAILS and PHONE Message

Email

Subject: Bring Drone Strike Victim Mohammed Alzaza to Canada for Urgent Surgery

To: IRCC.Minister-Ministre.IRCC@cic.gc.ca, Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca, Minister@cic.gc.ca

CC: Marie-France.Lalonde@parl.gc.ca, tasc@web.ca, Catrina.Tapley@cic.gc.ca

Dear Sean Fraser,

I write with a simple and direct humanitarian appeal. Palestinian drone-strike survivor Mohammed Alzaza needs immediate surgery in Canada. His private refugee sponsorship with Independent Jewish Voices (Vancouver) and the B.C. Muslim Association was approved over a year ago. Eventually, he will arrive in Canada, but it is unclear when. Making him wait overseas, where he cannot access the critical surgery he needs, is cruel and without legal or moral justification.

Mohammed Alzaza was a 15-year-old Palestinian teenager in Gaza when he and his 12-year-old cousin were hit by an Israeli drone strike while playing outdoors. His cousin was killed; Mohammed’s injuries were so severe he required 22 surgeries in Israel, Gaza, Egypt, and Turkey, where he now desperately waits for the finalization of his sponsorship to come to Canada for the medical care he urgently requires. His application to come here is already well beyond the average processing times for a privately sponsored refugee application.

Mohammed suffers ongoing chronic pain in his hand, legs and abdomen. He suffers Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) both from the drone strike and because during his last attempt to receive surgery in Israel, he was tortured by Israeli authorities. His inability to get proper medical support, especially surgery, has left him in extreme pain and despair. He is unable to go out, and he can barely walk any longer, while he is also losing sensation in various parts of his body. His most recent medical report in Turkey highlighted the need for him to have surgery as soon as possible.

A physician who has been voluntarily consulting with Mohammed writes that he urgently needs a Burns Specialist/Plastic Surgeon’s review in addition to an Orthopedic Surgeon’s consultation. The doctor expressed concern that Mohammed’s continued isolation and lack of medical attention is severely detrimental to both his physical and mental health.
Please immediately and urgently expedite Mohammed’s sponsorship application so he can come to Canada and get the medical attention he so desperately needs to end his pain and isolation and allow him to begin a new life.

Name
City/Town

SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s office (leave a message if you can): 613-992-6022 (you may get the name of Sean's Assistant, Lindsay, so please leave a polite message with her to pass along), or 902-867-2919 and (902) 752-0226

Sample phone message (please leave one if you get the answering machine—PLEASE only leave respectful messages.)

Hi, my name is XXXXX and I'm calling from TOWN, PROVINCE. I’m calling to ask that you ensure the immediate approval of Mohammed Alzaza’s sponsorship so he can come to Canada and receive the surgery he needs to end over a decade of pain and suffering from when he was hit by an Israeli drone strike in Gaza. His sponsorship was approved over a year ago. Making him wait overseas when he can barely walk, when he suffers chronic pain, and when he is losing sensation in his body, is cruel. Please cut the red tape and bring Mohammed here immediately. Thank you.”