Richard Boraks BA, LLB

Barrister & Solicitor

55 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke Ontario   M8W 3S2

Tel: 416-588-8707 Fax: 416-588-8785

Email: boraks@workercanada.com

July 3, 2015                           

Press Release

What next for Carlos Araujo?

On June 30 and July 3, 2015 the Government of Canada successfully fought to deport Carlos Araujo before he could get a final decision on his immigration application or a refund of his pension money.

At the same time, the Court ordered that Mr. Araujo can continue his Canadian legal battle while he is in Portugal.

The government also committed that it would repay all of Mr. Araujo’s financial losses in Portugal after he returns. The Court has already, on April 2015, decided that the Minister must show why the government should not pay Mr. Araugo for the governments mishandling of his earlier immigration application. 

We are committed to bringing Carlos Araujo back to Canada. We are appealing the Araujo removal Order but we accept the Order allowing his immigration court case to continue and for his obtaining compensation for having to leave Canada.  

We are also committed to getting Carlos Araujo back his union pension money as soon as possible.

Mr. Araujo paid the Canadian government $ 60,000 in income tax and $50,000 in social benefit taxes. The government wants to remove Mr. Araujo but keep his money.  Mr. Araujo has also paid $100,000 to his private pension fund.

We will obtain a refund of Mr. Araujo’s union pension money despite the fact that he will be in Portugal for several months.

There are many thousands of workers presently in Portugal who have previously been denied the right to either stay in Canada or to recover their pension money.

It is important that Portuguese who worked for Canadian union companies now ask for a refund of their pension money.  First, everybody needs money. Second, it is important that Canadians understand that they cannot hold millions of dollars by simply deporting Portuguese workers. As long as Canadians are allowed to use the workers’ money, Canada will not be very interested in giving legal immigration status to Portuguese workers. Unfortunately, in this world, it’s all about the money.

We will continue efforts to obtain both legal status and a pension refund for Carlos Araujo.

We encourage those Portuguese who were once illegal or legal union members in Canada to apply for their pension benefits. There are many thousand families in Portugal who, since the 1980’s, paid Canadian union pensions. They need their money now. At the same time, they would be helping us to send a message that it is wrong to deport workers like Carlos Araujo but keep their money.

For further information please contact our Worker Canada staff:

In Portugal:     926 382 465

   

In Canada:  416 588 8707