July 14, 2016
The Honorable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0P8
Canada
cc: The Honorable John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship
Dear Minister Goodale,
Re: Hunger strike by immigration detainees requesting a meeting with Minister Goodale
We are doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers working in Canada. It has come to our attention that over 50 men on immigration hold are once again engaging in a hunger strike. They are determined to remain without food until they are granted a meeting with you, Minister Goodale. They have been calling for an end to indefinite immigration detention and inhumane conditions and are now asking to bring their concerns to you in person.
This is the third time in as many years that men on indefinite immigration hold – people held in maximum security prisons without charges or trial – have gone on hunger strike. As healthcare providers it concerns us when individuals feel compelled to put their physical and mental health in jeopardy in order to win an audience with elected officials. They feel unheard and unacknowledged despite repeated calls to your office and to the offices of other Members of Parliament, multiple petitions and letters, and unsatisfactory meetings with representatives of the Canadian Border Services Agency.
We are concerned that a continuing hunger strike will put already vulnerable people at further risk of physical and mental harm. Three men have died while in immigration detention since you became Minister only nine months ago. At least fifteen have died while in the custody of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) since 2000.
As healthcare providers concerned with the wellbeing of the detainees we urge you to meet with the detainees promptly to hear their grievances and their demand for an end to indefinite immigration detention.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tarek Loubani, MD, CCFP (EM)
Emergency Department Physician and Assistant Professor
Western University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Dr. Michelle Fraser, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Michaela Beder, MD, FRCPC
Psychiatrist and Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Ritika Goel, MD, MPH, CCFP
Family Physician and Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Abeer Majeed, MD, CCFP
Primary Care Physician
Dr. Adrienne Batke, MA, MD
Resident in Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi MD, MSc, FRCPC
University of Toronto
Dr. Amanda Murdoch, MD, M.Sc.
Family Medicine Resident, Queen’s University
Dr. Anne Biringer MD, CCFP, FCFP
Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Dr. Arash Nakhost, MD RFCPC
Psychiatrist
Dr. Arfeen Malick, MD, MSc
Psychiatry Resident, University of Toronto
Dr. Azad Mashari, MD, FRCPC
Anesthesiologist, University Health Network
Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Dr. Bethany Scott, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Brendan Irish, MD
Family Medicine Resident, Queen’s University
Dr. Britt Lehmann-Bender, MD, CCFP
Family Physician and Hospitalist, Peterborough Regional Health Center
Dr. Cassandra Lin, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Charu Prasad, MD
Resident in Pediatrics
Dr. Claire Kenny-Scherber, MD, CCFP, BSc(Eng), IBCLC
Family Physician
Dr. Chloe Corbeil, MD
Family Medicine Resident
Dr. Colin Matheson, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. David Daien MD, CCFP
Family Physician and Lecturer, University of Toronto
Division Head Primary Care, Trillium
Dr. Donald E. Payne, MD, FRCP(C)
Psychiatrist
Dr. E. Kenneth Ranney, MD, FRCPC, FCAP, F.C.A.C.B
Pathologist and Clinical Biochemist, retired
Dr. Faiza Majeed, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Fatima Uddin, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. James Deutsch, MD, PhD, FRCP(C).
Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Dr. Jessi Dobyns, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Jessica Braidek, MD
Resident in Psychiatry
Dr. Jim Sugiyama MD
Dr. Jinghao Mary Yang, MD,
Resident in Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Dr. Jocelyn Howard, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. John Beamish MD, FCFP CCFP(PC)
Family Physician
Dr. Joshua D. Rosenblat, MD,
Resident of Psychiatry
Dr. June Lam, MD
Resident of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Dr. Kate Hayman, MD, MPH, FRCPC
Emergency Physician, University Health Network
Dr. Katie Dorman, MD, MSc, CCFP
Family Physician and Assistant Professor, Adjunct, Queen’s University
Dr. Ketan Vegda, MD, FRCPC,
Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Krista Margeson, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Laura Chertkow, MD, MPH
Dr. Lucy Barker, MD
Resident of Psychiatry
Dr. Matthew Piamonte, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Melini Gupta, MD
Resident Physician
Dr. Michael Nartey, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Michelle Vilcini, MD CCFP
Assistant Professor, Queen’s University
Dr. Mimmi Thompson, MD,
Family Medicine Resident
Dr. Miriam Garfinkle
Retired Primary Care Physician
Dr. Najib Safieddine, MD, FRCSC
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Dr. Nanky Rai, MD, MPH
Dr. Nikki Bozinoff, MD, CCFP
Dr. Nisha Ravichandiran, MD, CCFP
Dr. Parul Agarwal, MD, FRCPC
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Toronto
Dr. Priyadarshani Raju, MD, FRCPC
Psychiatrist and Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Public Health Physician
Dr. Susan Gleeson, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Samantha Green, MD, CCFP
Family Physician and Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Shira Taylor, MD, CCFP
GP Psychotherapist
Dr. Skylar Van Osch MD, CCFP
Family Physician and Clinical Faculty, University of British Columbia and University of Victoria
Dr Sonal Patel, MD, CCFP
Family Physician
Dr. Supriya Singh, MD
Orthopedic Surgery Resident
Dr. Tiffany Chow, BMSc, MD,
Family Medicine Resident
Dr. Zahra Jaffer, MB ChB, CCFP
Family Physician and Assistant Professor, Queen’s University
Lecturer, University of Toronto
Jennifer Rosser, Peer Support Specialist, RSSW
St. Michael’s Hospital/Cota FOCUS Community Mental Health Team
Kathy Hardill, RNEC
Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Lebei Pi, MD Candidate 2017
University of Toronto
Lori Webster RN
Marcella Jones, MPH, Medical Student
University of Toronto
Melanie Spence, BA, BScN, RN
Scott Weinstein, RN