We Won’t Go Back
To avoid serving in Iraq, 75 American soldiers have left their homes and families and fled to Toronto By Maggie Gilmour
To avoid serving in Iraq, 300 American soldiers have left their homes and families and fled to Canada, 75 of them to Toronto. Many assumed they’d get a visa, settle down and live a normal life. But the federal government has rejected their refugee claims and ordered them deported. Some go into hiding; others wait for appeals and judicial reviews of their cases. In the meantime, they’ve put down roots, taking temp jobs and raising children, nostalgic for a time when Canada was a haven for conscientious objectors.
Jump straight to a profile:
Phil McDowell, 29
Patrick Hart, 35
Chuck Wiley, 37
Dean Walcott, 27
Kimberly Rivera, 27
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