Stop single mom’s extradition to Georgia

OTTAWA – In keeping with the government’s commitment to helping women and children fleeing violence at home, the Minister of Justice should stop the extradition of a single mom to Georgia.

“I urge you, Minister, to act with compassion towards these children and exercise your prerogative to dismiss the extradition,” wrote NDP Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Critic Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East) in a letter to minister of justice.

The Canadian citizen known as “M” is facing imminent extradition to the United States on a charge of violating a custody order in Georgia. “M” lost custody of her children to her reportedly abusive ex-husband in Georgia. The children then fled their father’s home in fear of his abuse. “M” took her children to a shelter in Quebec to keep them safe and a Quebec court has since granted her custody of the children.

Georgia will not allow “M” to defend herself on the basis that she was protecting her children from imminent harm.

“Extraditing “M” seems to completely ignore the wellbeing of her children and take their mother away from them for the simple reason that she was willing to protect them when they needed her help,” wrote Kwan.