Protesting the systematic mistreatment of Iranians at the Canadian embassy in Tehran

To: The Right Honorable Stephen Joseph Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, the Honorable David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honorable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration,


I Ali Mokhtari, a member of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), representing the co-signers of this letter would like to express our profound distress at the systematic mistreatment of Iranians at the Canadian embassy in Tehran, Iran. We hope and expect that by presenting our case before you we will ameliorate the shameful state of affairs at our embassy in Tehran and show the true greatness of our chosen homeland, Canada.

Canadian-Iranians take great pride in their identity, coming from one of the most ancient civilizations on earth but also being citizens of Canada, a symbol of peace and prosperity worldwide. Canadas image abroad has been one of a nation that will do its utmost to defends its citizens and respect their human rights. This vast and bountiful land is a last hope and refuge for those who have fallen under the iron grip of tyrannical regimes.

It thus is unfortunate that Canada has been unable to maintain this image in Iran, with our Embassy in Tehran becoming a symbol of Kafkaesque bureaucracy and indifference to human plight. Our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends are treated in such a way that simply hearing of their tribulations brings shame to our hearts and consciousness. Those who brave the intense heat and lines that stretch for blocks on end to have a moment with our representatives are greeted with a cold demure and near contempt that is decidedly un-Canadian. The behavior of embassy personnel is said to compare unfavorably with even the worst government offices in Iran. The systematic maltreatment of the family and friends of Canadians is itself a very ill gesture to the Iranian community in Canada and an affront to their human dignity and rights.

Elderly parents of Canadians requesting visas to come to Canada to visit their children and grandchildren are put through a grueling and deeply invasive process; even after meeting and exceeding the most bizarre and arbitrary of the embassys requirements they are rejected, with embassy staff giving the impression of not having even glanced at applications but simply dismissing them out of hand.

Besides significantly tarring the image of Canada our assessment of the situation has shown that Iranians have been treated in an unjust and discriminatory manner not only inconsistent with core Canadian values but also significantly different from the basic courtesy shown at every other Canadian embassy and representative outpost around the world.

We are certain that the improper and dishonorable conduct of our embassy in Tehran is in no way a reflection of our esteemed and democratically elected government in Ottawa.

As patriotic and hardworking Canadians we humbly request that the government give its immediate attention to this matter not only to restore our tarnished image in Iran but to restore our confidence in the fairness of our government and in ourselves as equal citizens.