Gabriola – nice place to visit if you can get permission
By Bruce Mason, Gabriola Sounder
Monday, March 24 2008
Ever notice how many of your fellow Gabriolans travel extensively? It’s commonplace to meet someone you haven’t seen in some time and discover they finally saved up enough and just returned from an African Safari, a journey through Asia, or a dream visit to some other continent.
Integral to any memorable travel experience is meeting people. And it goes without saying that we Gabriolans, almost by definition, talk about home frequently and occasionally invite a special new acquaintance to the place we have been boasting about and want to share.
However, for Don Clark - formerly Dean of Law at the University of Saskatchewan - there is profound disappointment and anger after Canada slammed a door shut in the face of a visitor, a friend he looked forward to hosting here in Paradise.
And he has a dire warning for others, particularly as we count down to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Be wary of the country of origin of your guest and the hypocrisy of your government.
Too busy to interview him last week, I suggested that he write a letter to the editor, which was published in the Sounder, but decided to visit him and hear more of his sad and shocking story.
Easy to see why he would invite folks to his lovely waterfront home and also impossible not to notice how much two visits to Peru have meant to him, despite travelling extensively in other desirable places in the world.
“This is a 600 year old carving,” he said picking a small figure from a small collection of rare artifacts, pointing to impressive pieces of pottery, a stunning large original painting of musicians and a colourful wall-hanging of ancient symbols, intricately woven and hand knotted in alpaca wool.
“I am having difficulty in believing that this has taken place, that the Canadian government refused a three-week visitor’s visa to this person and can’t imagine who they could possibly accept as a guest, given her background and the assurances we provided” said Clark, who retired to Gabriola in 2000.
“It never occurred to me that this would happen and I keep asking myself if it’s real or imagined,” he added. “It’s disgraceful and shameful.”
Like many people he was drawn to the Andes and the Amazon, and wanted to fulfil a long-standing desire to walk the Inca trail and see exotic birds. Along the way - also like many before - he discovered the wonderful food and people of Peru.
Joining a group going to see another world attraction: Condors in flight, some with wingspans nine feet across, he met Amelia Coa Vargas, a hard-working honest former medical clerk who was finding some success in modest real estate development in her desperately poor homeland.
They discovered a mutual interest in classical music and discussed the merits and joys of various composers. He learned that she was devoted to her 16 year-old son who is studying to be a doctor and she never left his side except for brief periods of time. She also provides for her parents.
Amelia knew very little about Canada, virtually nothing about the west coast and never dreamed of visiting here, but was intrigued by stories of Gabriola.
Clark acquired the necessary documentation - far beyond the mere passport he needed to visit Peru - and a prepaid, non-refundable air ticket for April 18th to May 12th. He was prepared to post a bond and provided information on his property, investments and income as well as a detailed itinerary that included visiting his daughter in Victoria and a road trip to the Rockies and Lake Louise.
Excited by the possibility of a three week holiday Coa Vargas made arrangements for the care of her son and parents for three weeks and with Clark’s help by phone and E-mail managed the confusing and complicated forms.
She took them in person to the Canadian Embassy in Lima, a 16 hour journey, and was prepared to wait there for the requisite five days, if necessary, for an interview. But she never got past the reception desk.
Instead, three days later she received a form letter indicating that in the opinion of the person who scrawled their initials at the bottom of a form letter, she was at risk of flight while in Canada.
With no hint of any wrong-doing or legal problems in her past, she was told her case was closed, no explanation, no appeal or reconsideration possible and no need to apply for at least two years if her “situation has changed substantially.”
Adding insult to injury for no apparent reason a humiliated Coa Vargas can no longer say “No, I have never been refused permission for a visa,” severely limiting her ability to travel.
She had more than sufficient funds for a visit and Clark - who taught administrative law for 30 years and now chokes at the thought of singing “O Canada” at the start of Lion’s Club meetings - thinks maybe our government needed to know how much money Amelia has in the bank and wonders just how much money or influence is required.
On its website, Canada proudly welcomes Peruvians and offers travel tips.
So Clark has contacted the appropriate federal cabinet ministers and our MP, also the Globe and Mail, National Post and As It Happens, among others.
He wants to know how many folks from Peru apply and how many actually make it. Good questions for ordinary Canadians who are welcomed all over the world but may wonder what sort of global citizenship we practice, rather than preach.
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