He had an office chair and a shady spot from which to observe the passing afternoon traffic, but Michael Welch wasn’t interested in getting comfortable.
He had serious issues on his mind.
Michael Welch protests the deportation of an American soldier from Canada at Joy Smith's, MP office in North Kildonan Tuesday.
The 41-year-old unemployed “peace and justice” activist had shown up late Tuesday morning at the Henderson-Highway constituency office of Conservative Member of Parliament Joy Smith demanding the federal government not deport a United States military deserter.
Smith’s staff listened to Welch, put him in touch with Smith, who was out of the office, then showed him the door.
They did supply him with a chair however, as he took up residence on the front step of Smith’s office in a North Kildonan strip mall.
“I’m going to stay out here overnight, and beyond,” Welch said, vowing to go on a hunger strike.
He was trying to draw attention to the case of Corey Glass, a U.S. national guardsman who served in Iraq, then later deserted when he was home on leave.
Glass took refuge in this country in 2006 and now lives in Toronto.
He has said he faces imprisonment and a possible criminal record if he returns to the U.S. but is scheduled to be deported Thursday.
Welch was among several protesters last week at the office of another Winnipeg Conservative MP: Rod Bruinooge.
They had called on the government to allow Glass to remain in Canada.
Welch said Thursday that Bruinooge’s staff had shown “sympathy” and even “respect” for Glass but he decided Wednesday evening to stage a solo protest at Smith’s office.
Welch lives in Smith’s riding.
“I was not satisfied action, real action, would be taken on Mr. Glass’ behalf,” Welch said, when asked about the group protest at Bruinooge’s office in Fort Garry.
Groups are planning a prayer vigil in support of Glass at Canadian Mennonite University Thursday.
Last week, a Canadian federal court ruled this country’s Immigration and Refugee Board could not deny refugee protection to American military deserters because it believed the conditions they were evading were not severe enough.
The board had originally decided the deserters had not fled conditions leading to war crimes or crimes against humanity, and were ineligible for Canadian protection.
Smith said she told Welch she would relay his concerns to federal Citizenship and Immigration minister Diane Finley.
“I’ll just get the message to the Immigration minister and it’s really in her hands,” Smith said.
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