October 16th, 2012 — The Scarborough Volunteer Clinic
Last night we met Miklos in clinic. Yes, he is Hungarian. That immediately makes him the target of hateful rants from the likes of Ezra LeRant (aka Ezra Levant – Sun Media Sept 17th 2012), and the focus of negativity in Canada, with the release of CIC statistics on Hungary (Roma), and other refugee claimants.
Miklos arrived in Canada with his wife Ilona, seeking refugee status. Miklos’ wife received inadequate prenatal care in the EU. They lived in poverty, without adequate healthcare access. They lost their children in childbirth.
Miklos is not his real name. Same for Ilona. Our aim is to prevent any backlash against them as their refugee claim is heard. We realize Mr Kenney, thru his CIC spokesperson has attacked us and others for this policy, suggesting we ( health providers) are making this stuff up – but so be it. We have good reason to protect refugee claimants.
As we have pointed out unattended pregnancies result in maternal and infant death 7 times more frequently than those with proper healthcare. After the deaths of their newborn, Miklos was attacked and beaten up by Neo Nazi Arian thugs while living in the EU. He suffered severe concussions and brian injuries. He developed epileptic seizures. He and his wife had enough. They sought safety and asylum in Canada. Miklos and Ilona were living a “safe country”, a DCO at the time of the beatings. Mr Kenney is about to lead Canada on a DCO journey of his own ( CIC WEBSITE)
Miklos works underground supporting an economy we all enjoy. He works at dangerous jobs, for less than minimum wage – construction, moving jobs, anything to support the family. He works despite his seizures.
A month ago Miklos developed chest pains. He sought medical care. When they arrived in Canada 2 years ago Miklos and Ilona were granted legal status here, with Interim Federal Health Care for medically necessary problems while awaiting their hearing. Last time we looked, chest pain was a medically necessary condition?
Miklos and Ilona attended the clinic where they had been receiving care. But this time, they were told their IFH was no longer valid. They would have to pay to be assessed and treated. Somewhere, someone at a desk had reclassified them without so much as a word.
At our clinic we determined Miklos’ symptoms signalled a potential life threatening problem. He needed access to healthcare as soon as possible. He could not afford this.
Ilona and Miklos are in Canada legally, waiting a long time for their refugee hearing. Whose fault is that? As Canada drags its heels, they drag refugee claimants like Miklos and Ilona and others through life threatening circumstances, and cut their access to life saving healthcare.
What would Canada like its health providers to do here? How should we respond? Should we follow the CIC’s lead? Should we allow Miklos to go untreated, let him have his heart attack on the streets of Canada while the Government cuts his access to healthcare? And what would Canadian’s think of their own doctor or nurse, if they could do that?
Miklos was beaten with steel pipes by the same Neo Nazi Arian type thugs who in the recent past sent countless Jews and others to their innocent deaths, as they begged the world and us for help and safety. Mr Levant of all people, of all peoples, should know better. He should know the perils of promoting hatred by one race against another, by one group against another. The Canadian Government should be very careful if they are to focus their nation’s attention on racial and cultural groups seeking our help and suggest they are “bogus”. This can go nowhere good. It has been tried before. Turns out to be quite a bad idea. The new policies of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, that put the most vulnerable of asylum seekers in harm’s way to fend for themselves, have no place in Canada, or any compassionate nation. Ditto for the Rant by LeVant.
Thank you Mr Farber for eloquently pointing this out.
Again, Miklos and Ilona are in Canada legally. When they are ill, with life threatening conditions, awaiting their fair hearing, Canada has a responsibility to respond humanely and effectively. How hard can that be?
Instead, Miklos faces the possibility of an avoidable heart attack, in Canada, a country he asked for help.
Nice.