MPJinny Sims lends support to Surrey family’s immigration case

Jinny Sims

LARISSA CAHUTE, VANCOUVERDESI.COM

Newton-Delta MP Jinny Sims is supporting a Surrey woman’s three-year battle for her husband’s Canadian residency – who’s been repeatedly denied – even after the birth of their daughter.

“It’s quite unbelievable,” Sims said. ‘This is a marriage where there is a baby, this young woman is Canadian born …She gets married to someone in India – which is not unusual – and the kind of questions that are being asked at the interviews have really disturbed me a lot.”

Harpreet Sandhu, 25, has been married to her husband Harpreet Singh, 33, for three years. It was an arranged marriage set up through their grandparents.

Singh’s latest rejection came in August, following the birth of his daughter in June.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada documents obtained by Vancouverdesi.com, Singh was denied because his marriage was deemed “not genuine.” Some of the reasons for the decision included he was not “medically compatible” with his diabetic wife and that he demonstrates “limited knowledge” about diabetes.

“It’s quite unbelievable,” said Sims. “Since when has marriage to a diabetic been not allowed in our country?”

“I just keep thinking this cannot be happening in our Canada.”

Culturally, arranged marriages happen “all the time,” said Sims – even in Canada families introduce their children to potential matches.

“This girl was not forced to get married – she chose to get married to the young man she was introduced to,” said Sims.

While Sims completely supports the recent crack down on immigration fraud, “I think we’ve got to be careful we don’t confuse and punish those who simply just want to get married,” she said. “When we start treating every day Canadians who get married to someone out of the country as criminals, then it’s very, very hard.”

She also said it seems like those marrying someone from India or Pakistan are held to a much higher standard – “almost evidence is required that your intentions are good.”

Sandhu, unable to live without the support of her husband, has since moved to India to unite her family. She and her parents have spent about $12,000 on the case over the past three years and can’t afford a lawyer to take it to Federal Court.

According to Sims, she sees hundreds of cases like this brought into her office every week.

Sandhu’s attempt this year was just one of nearly 70,000 applications denied so far in 2012.

So Sims plans to take Sandhu’s case to Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney next week.

“It seems to be a kind of overarching treatment of spousal immigration into our country right now that it’s getting quite scary – it’s almost as if everybody is out to do fraud,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sandhu’s parents are working with local immigration consultant, Neera Agnihotri, who plans to move forward with the case.

“It’s a child – what more do we need to prove?” said Agnihotri of the marriage. “If you don’t believe that the child is theirs, why not do a DNA test?”

Which, according to Sandhu’s parents, has not been ordered.

“It’s very unfortunate because we, the community, have misused the system, but it’s people like (Sandhu) that are genuinely trying to get their spouse here – they get stuck in the (middle of it),” said Agnihotri. “She’s going into depression because her husband is not there, she just had a baby so there’s post-partum.”

Back in India, Sandhu is just hoping for the best.

“We’re trying everything,” she told Vancouverdesi.com. “We’re just fed up.”

“I just want everybody – my whole family – to go back together,” she said through tears.

lcahute@theprovince.com

twitter.com/larissacahute

Jeff says:

October 9, 2012 at 11:27 am

a match on eharmony is NOT the same as an arranged married. on eHarmony you pick who you want to meet. In indian culture you parents tell you who to marry! Sims is just trying to pander to her voters.

Kamal Kishor says:

October 6, 2012 at 8:30 pm

This is the 21st century. The pressures of modernity should influence our politicians’ actions. Culture is a dynamic practice and Jinny Sims should be making her constituents aware of this fact; instead, since she knows that the Punjabi community tends to vote en bloc, she is trying to score points in that arena.
Immigration rules are rules for a reason; follow them.

surinder chahal says:

October 6, 2012 at 11:45 am

love marriages are not good also . high rate of divorce in canada . so what is the differance in love or arrange marriage. both marriages are failed because both parties do not care of family values they just want to enjoy their lives they do not care about their kids , when ever they want they find other partner and leave their kids with their step parents. indians are not like that they do arrange marriage and live together for ever , and do not find other partner every after two years like canadians.

nobody says:

October 6, 2012 at 11:59 am

Sir, it’s unfortunate you feel that way about Canadians. Because a woman stays married in your culture doesn’t mean she should. I have a great respect for many parts of your culture but I lose it in the treatment and control over your women. Canadian women do not have to worry about beatings, banishment or death in choosing to change their lives. Nor do we need dowries to enhance the financial status of a family. We too value family and our children and personally none of my relatives have divorced. They stayed with their mates till death did them part..

ed says:

October 7, 2012 at 8:09 am

Surinder – your comment is baseless- also it shows the disdain you have for our canada – saying that “you canadians” so why do you live here – is it the goal of Punjabi’s to have there own khalistan in Canada – is this the purpose of you immigration here – i will use a sterotype and s you have told me it is okay do it – YOU PUNJABI”S have an unncanny ability to manipulate the EI, ICBC, AND workers comp to your advantage –
i guess i will be a racist now – as i am white and i made a derogortory comment – but when a Punjabi or Sikh say’s it – we need to have a protest to get your point across – also remember – you are one of those -”you canadians” – your welcome

Wow says:

October 7, 2012 at 10:12 pm

Hillbilly…I’m referring to Ed here. Reading all of his comments on this story makes me figure he’s too stupid-like and what-not to figure anything out. Prolly wasted his high school years on an ejumacation in “shop” or some crap like that. BTW, nice grammar, you inbred redneck excuse for a hick. English is my second language and I’m miles ahead of you.

ed says:

October 8, 2012 at 9:40 am

wow

this what i referred to – i am now redneck and racist in you eyes – i am actually father of six, P ENG, MILLWRIGHT TICKET , AND DEANS LIST IN COLLEGE and was the President of the student union – my wife is beautiful status INDIAN – who loves being a MOM – i have been told by many east indians how better they are than us Canadians – your rant here just solidifies how you feel about us white people – I would tred very carefully on the inbred comment – considering how close some family ties are in your arranged marriages
but welcome to canada and make sure you in line for you ei cheque -

wow says:

October 8, 2012 at 10:46 am

Your comments make you a redneck, boy. Quit whining! I’m labeling you that way, not white

I won’t deny that Indian girls have posited our culture as superior than “whites”. But I usually tell them that ain’t true. When they demand proof, I show them.

Unlike you and your Aryan Nation buddies, I can admit fault in or culture, and I don’t put yours down. Cause I’m a real man, not some internet warrior hillbilly hiding behind some keyboard.

You’re irrelevant, you don’t matter. I’m done here. Hick.

Jeff says:

October 9, 2012 at 11:25 am

There is a high divorce rate in Canada because you are ALLOWED to get divorced. It’s called person FREEDOM. If you want females in your society to have the same rights as cattle, then that’s great. But western society has progressed from the times of slaves and women as inferior.

ed says:

October 6, 2012 at 9:05 am

i dont believe – you should be able to come thru marriage – especially arranged marriages –
also there are costs involved – who will pay the medical costs associated with diabetes – it is no fair to all taxpayers to carry these extra medical burdens

also this si a two way street – if this is love and marriage – why didnt she move to India and attempt to become a citizen there – he is the man and should support his wife
as for Jinny – i am not surprised at all with her position – votes , votes, votes

i am tired off loading our finacial system with these imported costs

as for cultural differences – when do my canadian values become recognized, english and french language, religion freedom, hockey, christmas, easter etc – i wany a say on who comes here
i was born here, my dad was born here, his dad was born here and his dad was born here – we have paid for the infrastructure and continue to
Go live in India until the proper channels and requirements are met
dont give in

Mean Gene says:

October 6, 2012 at 8:41 am

What a bunch of twaddle, Ms Sandhu chose to get married to a man via an arranged marriage?? She would have been disowned by her family if she didn’t, not much of a choice there.

How can anyone NOT know if the partner had type 1 diabetes when there are syringes and insulin bottles in the house??

I still think using a baby as pawn to justify approving residency is pathetic.

info says:

October 6, 2012 at 8:44 am

Mean Gene,
You ignorance is astounding. You shame a country that prides itself in the haves helping the have nots.

ed says:

October 6, 2012 at 9:10 am

hwo is protecting our country from rampant immigration fraud shameful

get a grip

Chung says:

October 6, 2012 at 7:20 am

Why did she go to India to get married? She never knew this person before she married him, it’s not like she planned to go to India to marry this man she went there to marry any man. I’m sure if she looked in Surrey she could have found a single man that was compatible for her.

S. Dhaliwal says:

October 6, 2012 at 8:23 am

There are many who go to India to get married. There is nothing wrong with what she did. Introduced/arranged marriages is no different that joining Harmony to find your match; where-ever he/she may be. Immigration officials have a tendency of asking questions that they wouldn’t normally ask the average Joe on the street. The type of questions asked in these interviews my husband of over 20 years wouldn’t be able to answer. The expectation by the immigration officials is that each married couple knows the other inside and out, I guess they really never wonder why the divorce rate is so high! That is because they don’t think but use their wonderful flowcharts and follow up questions that come about based on the yes/no answers.

ed says:

October 6, 2012 at 9:09 am

to compare online dating and going to india to get married is ridiculous – she first married a foreigner – not a canadian – if she married a canadian thru a match then we would not have these question

why do sikhs always cry wold when soemthing doesnt suit them – this desi website is just a platform for these beefs – it is almost embarrassing to call this news

Jas Gill says:

October 10, 2012 at 11:27 am

Here you again ed, why do hate sikh so much?did some one screw you?

Chung says:

October 6, 2012 at 9:16 am

I’m not sure if I misread the story but as far as I read it does not say this was an arranged marriage or introduced marriage and it was planned that should would marry someone by this nature. Your right she could have joined E-Harmony to find a match in Canada but she chose to go over seas so she also made a choice that her future husband may not be able to come to Canada. There is no such thing as a right to come to Canada by getting married to a Canadian. There’s to many people taking advantage of this. There’s lots of single people in Canada to choose from of different ethnic groups, there’s no need to go over seas.

Chung says:

October 6, 2012 at 10:13 am

When i first read this story on a different website it never said anything about this being an arranged marriage or a introduced marriage. Even if this was indeed an arranged marriage this still does not guarantee that your spouse will be able to come to Canada. Getting married in another country to a Canadian does not and should not be a ticket to Canada.

Camal Singh Dung says:

October 5, 2012 at 9:27 pm

You will NOT be deported even if you commit multiple criminal offenses,Claim economic refugee status ,the Canadian , gullible taxpayer will pay for a immigration lawyer , get married have children and you in the country.You are NOT going to get deported , so do not worry about it. Show up in canada and you automatic in the country for a minimum of 10 to 15 years , the Canadian immigration official are patronage, useless,incompetent federal government workers.throw the paper in the trash , you and you family and your relative are automatic in canada and granted full Canadian citizen benefits.All you have to do in canada is show up , regardless of background and your automatic a full Canadian citizen.

Aryan says:

October 6, 2012 at 1:26 am

You are a moron of the nth degree!

tim says:

October 6, 2012 at 9:09 am

unlike you,I am in my own country 10 generation back…

Vaux says:

October 6, 2012 at 4:55 pm

Unfortunately canada immigration policy are lax , you are correct.