Image via WikipediaIndonesian authorities have stopped a Tamil boat that authorities believe was headed for Canada.
The MV Alicia was carrying 84 Sri Lankan asylum seekers when it was stopped Saturday night in Indonesian waters.
Although the migrants claim to want to enter New Zealand, and on Tuesday were refusing to leave the vessel while waving signs saying they wanted to be sent to the South Pacific nation, Canadian officials told Postmedia News that intelligence reports suggest the boat was en route to Canada.
"This vessel is believed to have been destined for Canada," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney in Calgary. "Human smuggling is a despicable crime. Not only do the smugglers take advantage of financially vulnerable people, but they put people's lives at risk."
Authorities expect more Tamil boats will try to reach Canada. One official referred to the MV Alicia as the beginning of "boating season."
In 2009, the vessel Ocean Lady reached Canada's west coast, carrying dozens of Sri Lankan migrants. Ten months later, the MV Sun Sea made a similar voyage, carrying 492 Sri Lankans who had boarded in Thailand. Ocean Lady initially docked at Victoria's Ogden Point, Sun Sea at CFB Esquimalt.
Kenney and Public Safety Minister Vic Toews have pointed to those vessels as proof Canada is a target destination for human smugglers and the reason why legislation is needed to curb what they say is Canada's attractiveness for immigration queue-jumpers.
Among measures outlined in proposed legislation, illegal migrants who are part of a smuggling operation would be prevented from obtaining permanent-resident status or from bringing their family members to Canada for five years.
Individuals who chose to return to their country of origin, on vacation, for example, would see their refugee status revoked.
"Canada is committed to working with our international partners to target organized criminals that would aim to take advantage of our generous immigration system," Toews, Kenney and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a news release issued after Postmedia News broke the story. Calling Indonesia an important partner, the ministers thanked the Indonesian government and the Indonesian National Police for "taking responsible steps and their professionalism."
Kenney said Canada has established "significant" Canadian intelligence and law-enforcement assets in the Southeast Asian region, particularly in the countries known to be transit points for human smuggling operations. "We are not going to be a doormat for the dangerous crime of human smuggling."
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