White South African Brandon Huntley gets asylum in Canada

Brandon Huntley, a white South African, was recently granted asylum in Canada because Huntley convinced the canadian refugee board he was persecuted by black people in South Africa. His refugee status has therefore been granted beause of his colour.

Questionable

According to him, he was a victim of crime on seven occasions and used that as the basis for his application for asylum. So what's the problem then? By his own admission, he never reported ANY of these crimes to the police! How on earth can you get asylum anywhere if there is no way to prove what you say is even true? I thought the canadian refugee board was extremely naive because they simply approved his application because his "presentation was convincing"? So as long as you have a strong personality but cannot prove anything you say, you'll get asylum? That's convenient.

The Ottawa Sun reported that he presented "clear and convincing proof of the state's inability or unwillingness to protect him". How can he say that the SA police was not "willing" to protect him, if he never even reported the crimes? Was he supposed to magically appear in the dreams of the police so they could protect him?

Huntley first travelled to Canada on a six-month work permit in 2004 and worked as a carnival attendant. He returned to Canada in 2005 and after his work permit expired, he stayed on illegally until making his refugee claim in April 2008. Huntley's estranged Canadian wife believes he "suckered" her into marriage in a bid to secure permanent residence in her country.

Deception

I think this is a classic case of someone who worked the system and tried his luck after he realised that he couldn't legally stay in Canada. He simply used the paranoia about crime to his own advantage. There's a lot of South Africans who emigrate to Canada but at least they do it the right way, by getting a legal work permit with the appropriate qualifications. This specific asylum ruling makes a mockery of that process. If you don't qualify or don't feel like going through the normal emigration process (and facing a real chance of being denied), apply for asylum with some soppy story without any evidence! ;)

Here's a few tongue-in-cheek cartoons by Jeremy Nell (The Times) on the matter.

Review

Canada's Department of Citizenship and Immigration has now decided to apply to the Federal Court for leave for a judicial review of Huntley's case. The Canadian government has stated that they have a very high regard for South Africa's track record and new democracy, and they also take into regard the bilateral relations between the two countries, which are very strong.

Huntley affair hits raw nerve with South Africans

This whole story has created quite a stir in South Africa, for several reasons. The government called the Canadian decision "racist". They said it reinforced unfair stereotypes that only whites were victims of crime.

A lot of white South Africans are also outraged because it simply gives the country a bad name considering that the country has so much going for it.

I do find it surprising that some ex-South Africans living in Canada have automatically latched on to the Huntley case simply to use it as an excuse to fuel their own hatred towards their former country. I think that's quite sad. Especially since nobody really bothers to consider the actual facts of the case.

Of course, all racists have had a field day with this as well, for obvious reasons.

Don't get me wrong, South Africa does have a big crime problem but it affects all South Africans, not only whites. Crime is colourblind. Black people in SA are victims of crime too, all the time. I've been a victim of crime myself but I love South Africa for about a thousand other reasons so even though I obviously acknowledge that crime is a big problem; it doesn't mean I'm automatically going to hate the country I live in. A positive mindset does help! I just get annoyed when I see a chancer like this who misrepresented himself and in the process gave the country a bad name.

As far as affirmative action goes, that is something I have a huge problem with simply because it is an unfair process where a certain section of the population is discriminated against; it has closed a lot of doors for me. If I ever had to emigrate, *that* would be the reason for leaving; simply due to seeking an equal opportunity in the workplace.

Related links
White South African Brandon Huntley 'lied to Canada' to get asylum - The Australian
Brandon Huntley's tales of racism in South Africa 'are ludicrous' - Times Online
SA man gets asylum in Canada for being white - IOL
'Huntley conned me into marriage' - IOL
Why would the Canadians want Huntley? - Gondwanaland