“Sympathetic consideration” is being given by the Canadian Government to a request made by the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Immigration Aid Services to admit to Canada Jewish immigrants from North Africa, it was reported here by CJC leaders.
The Canadian Jewish Congress was advised by Ellen L. Fairclough, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, that the Government is prepared to make a special provision for the admission of immigrants from Morocco and Tunisia where they have close relatives in Canada able and willing to sponsor them.
“The Department will accept applications by Canadian residents for the admission from Morocco and Tunisia of the same classes of close relatives admissible from Israel, that is: The husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, as well as the husband or wife and the unmarried children under 21 years of age of any such son, daughter, brother or sister, as the case may be, the father, the mother, the grandparent, the unmarried orphan nephew or niece under 21 years of age, the fiance or fiancee,” the Minister informed the Canadian Jewish Congress.
“The Department will also deal with unsponsored cases of exceptional merit from these countries who may apply through the British consuls or forward their applications direct to Immigration Branch Headquarters in Ottawa for consideration. In both types of cases. Orders-in-Council will be sought for authority to grant admission in individual cases where necessary.
“It will not be necessary for the Canadian Jewish Congress or Jewish Immigrant Aid Society to accept responsibility for these cases,” the Minister stipulated. “In the sponsored cases the sponsors themselves will accept the usual responsibilities; in the unsponsored cases of exceptional merit the prospective immigrants themselves will be assessed and if admitted, will be treated as other unsponsored immigrants to Canada.”
The Minister added that the arrangements which he outlined “will also apply to other minority groups in Morocco and Tunisia as well as persons of Jewish origin.”
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