Therefore, we must unite together, for a stable climate and a long term association between our Alliance and the private sector. We must unite together. Our own Canadian government officials, will unquestionably remove the over-riding motivation for quick government profit on our peope, as quick-profits are what the United States prison system is all about. We must end the insanity of incarcerating Canadians and other foreigners within their prisons. Worse still, the American establishment, who is murdering by execution at an alarming rate and includes those who are innocent. (scroll down)
If we the People of Canada, and other foreign citizens provide the right conditions, we along with you, can cause changes within our government policies and code of ethics in our own government. Together, we can expand our community development to demonstrate our concerns for the conservation of freedoms and Treaty rights. Further, by doing so, we increase our government's willingness to share in the absolute protection of such rights and freedoms. Certainly it will mean a co-existence between our Canadian people with other foreign countries, which will include adherence to such provisions of maintaining Treaty rights with all foreign governments with whom we have a treaty.
We are aware that a strong code of these rights are necessary to draw a line between the conflicts in such protections. Such a code would be useless if the private sector does not recognize its place in each community we live in. Our investment is in ourselves, and our people. What protections do we have, if our men, women and children are subjected to foreign imprisonment? Or even worse, condemned to be murdered by American execution? Are we are forget, that it can happen to any one of us?
We at A.I.C.A.P. are calling upon every able Canadian and foreign citizen to join in our partnership, our cause in the protections of our Peoples Rights. We Canadians, are the key to such protections. Our government in Ottawa can only provide the protections by our voice and our votes. If the battle is to be won against corrupt government, we must enlighten our forces against this evil. We must unite and take action against these discriminations and violations of our Treaty rights and freedoms, by the United States.
Recently in October of 1998, California officials held a meeting pursuant to the Treaty on Transfer of Foreign Citizens. The evidence provided to us in this meeting report, shows the corruption, the discrimination, and violations by these state officials. In part the report states: "Mr. Willis: 'Actually, the Convention and the Government Code doesn't give the Board of Prison Terms the authority to set that policy. We interpreted the Convention and we've added to the language of the Convention into that regulation." The report of this meeting goes on to provide us with the corrupt nature and attitude of these American State Prison Administrators. Chairman Nielson: "But your point is, Jenny, we need to be silent on that in the regulation." The report continues. Our own Consulate General in 1994, then Consul General, Donald T. Wismer, forwarded a letter to Senator Karen L. Gilmor, of the Ohio Senate, thanking them for ratifying the Treaty between Canada and the United States on the execution of Penal Sentences, and the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentence Persons. In fact, individual states cannot in any way create or ratify Treaties with foreign countries. Treaties are the sole responsibility of the Federal Government. Ohio, like California, Michigan and other states have created policies and regulations which are contrary to the existing treaty between Canada and the United States. The Consul General knew in advance, as did our government in Ottawa, that Ohio, and other states have created policies, regulations and qualifications which conflict with the letter of the Treaty, and did absolutely nothing to prevent these violations, or even to protest against them in any way.
For all the reasons we set forth in this letter, and more, we call for justice for our loved ones who are incarcerated within these filthy American prisons.
(Note from AICAP's VP of International Affairs:- WILFRED LAURIER UNIVERSITY, also active in raising the awareness of Canadians incarcerated abroad, stated recently that they are also aware of approximately 1,800 incarcerated Canadians abroad, l0% of which are women).
Update - March 22, 2000 - The Vancouver Sun (Canadian Press) - "At l,500, the U.S. has the highest number of Canadians imprisoned abroad. Europe has 289, Latin America and the Caribbean have 220 and Asia and the Pacific have 162."