The whole story is that his first lawyer was anglophone and he had not made an official request for an interpreter to be present. The Cuban refugee subsequently hired a new lawyer who has made the request for the audience to be heard in French. Canadian and Quebec law both state that anyone seeking refugee status can have his/her trial heard in either official language with an interpreter present (but the request must be made).
The trial has yet to begin but all the previous court papers had been filed in English. So the court judged it unfair to change the language of the audience at this point in the status request.
The Bloc and the PQ are all over this, for obvious political reasons. I think it's despicable to use a man seeking refugee status to further their segregationist agenda. But if it gets this man a trial in the language that he thinks will best suit his purpose then I hope it works (for once)...
I'll keep you all posted as this develops.
Muchacho Enfermo
1 comment:
The law is the law.
This man is entitled to have his case heard in French if he so chooses.
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