the 83-year-old woman who had applied to stay with her family in Langford, attended a pre-removal conference today. At that conference BhandalB次元官网网址檚 application for Permanent Residence on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds was officially denied. A removal order is now in effect.

"Although I am disappointed Minister Kenney did not intervene on Ms. BhandalB次元官网网址檚 behalf, the conclusion of this pre-removal hearing will allow her family to seek other remedies.B次元官网网址�  said Randall Garrison, MP (Esquimalt Juan de Fuca). B次元官网网址淭he family will now pursue all other legal options to avoid seeing Ms. Bhandal sent to India where she has no family or community support available to her. The Bhandal family lawyer has applied for a judicial review of this decision and will request a delay of deportation proceedings.B次元官网网址�

Garrison said heB次元官网网址檚 seen overwhelming support from the community to keep the Bhandal family together.

B次元官网网址淥ver 5,000 letters have been sent to Minister Kenney urging compassion for Ms Bhandal,B次元官网网址�  Garrison said.

Citizenship and  Immigration Canada forwarded the file to the Canadian Border Services Agency which is responsible for the actual deportation process.

"I remain hopeful that we can convince the government that deporting Surjit Bhandal would not only be an error in law and an injustice, but that it would also fail to reflect the reality of the diversity of families in Canada," Garrison said.