Dear Justin Trudeau,

We trust this letter finds you in good health. We are representatives of a significant community of Canadians with Iranian heritage, and we are reaching out to address a critical issue affecting individuals and families within our community.

The recent designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government has resulted in an unfair situation for conscripted soldiers who had no choice in participating in mandatory service. Unfortunately, these individuals have not been distinguished from the organization itself. Consequently, many of us who underwent compulsory service in the IRGC face detainment and rejection at borders and airports by U.S. officials, and are unjustly added to the FBI and TSA watchlist.

It is crucial to note that the majority of Iranians in our community who completed mandatory service did so years or even decades ago and have had no contact whatsoever with the aforementioned organization after that. 

Our request is not related solely to travel to the United States; it involves a broader issue directly related to the Canadian government. Beyond the challenges of being on the watchlist, the associated issues for us have been profound.

The treatment of us and our families as criminals due to our names being on the watchlist has resulted in a variety of problems at airports. This has had significant psychological impact on families, especially children, pregnant women, and heart disease patients, leading to numerous medical emergencies. Unfortunately, due to encountering inappropriate behavior directed at themselves and their parents by airport officials, and sometimes witnessing their parent’s detention, many Canadian children experience significant terror. A psychology professor from the University of British Columbia and several counselors have warned us that these actions severely traumatize these children. 

The unjust treatment of a Canadian citizen by a Canadian officer on Canadian soil, stemming from the unfair law of another country, is intolerable. Waiting for hours for entry into our own residences upon returning to Canada adds an additional layer of distress.

Despite the Canadian government being aware of these issues through MPs and the Canadian Parliament for several years, these problems persist for more than thirty thousand Canadian families. Additionally, with the government's silence, the number of innocent Canadians added to the FBI and TSA watchlist continues to grow daily. The government should be held accountable for its silence. 

The U.S. government exploits its amicable relationship with Canada, using the lack of a visa requirement for entry as a trap to show its political goals. Unfortunately, Canada stands as the only country globally where its innocent citizens (Canadian Iranian) fall into this significant trap and suffer, solely due to holding a Canadian passport and the silence of the Canadian government. Citizens of all other countries face visa rejections by the U.S. but do not get placed on the watchlist.

Being on the U.S. watchlist, due to the U.S. sharing its list with other countries, has further detrimental effects beyond U.S. borders. This is evident in the arrests of Canadians in countries like Mexico. 

Additionally, economic ties between Canada and the U.S. have led U.S.-affiliated companies to fire many highly skilled Canadians, with international corporations also refusing these Canadian professionals.

Finally, the life stories resulting from inclusion in the watchlist are unbelievable for this group of Canadians. Events such as children facing life-threatening situations in Canada’s snowstorms, the destruction of families, and hundreds of other incidents are truly staggering. Contrastingly, Iranian Americans in the U.S. who have served compulsory service in the Revolutionary Guard and are in the same situation as us Canadians, are exempt from these issues, highlighting the lack of support from the Canadian government for its citizens compared to the U.S. government.

We have sought assistance to take legal action through our civil rights and have found ways to highlight these distressing problems and raise awareness through mainstream media. However, we hope for support from our government instead of relying on these tense approaches.

Therefore, we strongly urge the Canadian government, given the strong ties between our two allied countries, to take action and remove our names from the U.S. watchlist, or resolve our problem in any other way possible. This will alleviate the significant challenges imposed on a large group of Canadian families and would once again demonstrate Canada’s support for its citizens who are deeply in love and committed to its soil.

We are available for further discussions or to provide any additional information necessary to help resolve this distressing issue. For further details about our situation, we have created a dedicated website: www.fcica.ca Here, you can find comprehensive information and updates.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,