By Jeff Davis, Postmedia News January 31, 2012

Two hundred Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka are stranded in West Africa, BBC reports, after the human smuggling ring they hired to bring them to Canada marooned them in Togo.

The MV Sun Sea, hauling future Canadians to our shores

The BBC says the contingent travelled by ship from Sri Lanka to India, then on to Ethiopia before flying to Togo. After being assured they could fly to Canada from neighbouring Ghana, they say their human smuggler abandoned them, the report says.

They are currently being detained in an open stadium in Lome — Togo’s capital city — and have complained of inadequate food and medical facilities. There are 19 women and 11 children among them, according to BBC reports.

The 200 fled Sri Lanka following the country’s recent civil war, and fear they may be killed if they’re made to return to their homeland.

“We have been arrested and detained here on charges of overstaying our visa period since 24th October last year and have been told that unless we voluntarily return to Sri Lanka, we would be deported forcefully,” one detainee told the BBC’s Tamil Service.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Tuesday he could not confirm reports about the wayward refugee claimants.

Kenney visits religious community in Quebec, Jewish Tribune

Jason Kenney, minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism visited with the ultra-Orthodox Tash community in their charming village in Boisbriand, Quebec.

The minister was first given a bus tour of the institutions serving the nearly 5,000 residents across the village including the educational centres, seniors’ home, soup kitchen, synagogue and Yeshiva.

Kenney was then greeted by the children who made a beautiful musical presentation singing moving Jewish songs that they specifically prepared for him.

MP Kenney has praised the homogeneity and cultural preservationism of orthodox Jews

In his remarks to the children Kenney pointed out the courage of the community and particularly the children who tenaciously hang on to their rich traditions. He emphasized his great pride that the Tash movement chose to settle in Canada after escaping the Holocaust as they add so much to the beautiful mosaic of Canada. He said that as the minister of multiculturalism he will continue to do all that he can to ensure that no minority suffers from any form of marginalization or discrimination.

Following a round table discussion with senior leaders in the Tash community, Kenney met with the Grand Rebbe of Tash, respected internationally as a holy and caring Jewish leader by hundreds of thousands of his followers and admirers. He blessed the minister to have great success in all of his endeavours.

Police warn public of potential sex offender

The Canadian Press

oronto police are warning of a potential sex offender after a 10-year-old girl was approached by a man in an S-U-V.

Police say the girl was walking by herself in the Sheppard Avenue West and Buckland Road area yesterday morning when an S-U-V pulled up beside her.

They say the man waved and told her to come over but she refused.

He then offered her candy but the girl ran away.

The suspect is described as Asian, in his mid-to-late 30′s, and was driving a clean, new-looking silver S-U-V with tinted windows.

Booting a billionaire out of Canada by The Canadian Press

A billionaire member of Tunisia’s once-dominant ruling clan, who is believed to be hiding out in Canada, is scheduled to make a public appearance.

The Immigration and Refugee Board says Belhassen Trabelsi is due before its appeal division in April to fight a decision to boot him out of the country.

Belhassen Trabelsi

According to the IRB, the reason for the hearing is the appeal of an order revoking his status as a Canadian permanent resident.

Trabelsi is thought to be quietly living in Montreal with his family since last year, when the Tunisian regime collapsed.

The billionaire fled here with his family after a revolution toppled his brother-in-law, former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. He used his status to get across the border.

Federal authorities have been tight-lipped about Trabelsi’s status, but sources have told The Canadian Press that the government revoked his residency last year, shortly after he arrived.

According to the IRB, to keep permanent resident status in Canada, one must be in Canada for at least two years during every five-year period and Trabelsi no longer qualifies for residency.

Those who live outside of Canada must be either accompanying a Canadian citizen; employed full-time by a Canadian business or province; in the public service; or accompanying a permanent resident who meets that criteria.

According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, when the rules are not met, a permanent resident may be deemed inadmissible and issued a departure order.