Emigrating British family turned away from Canada because their daughter, 7, is disabled

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:55 PM on 07th August 2008


When Paul and Barbara-Anne Chapman presented their family's passports to a Canadian border guard, they assumed it was just a formality, the last step in their long-dreamed of move to a new life.

They had sold their home in Britain, packed all their belongings into vast shipping containers and bought a two-acre farmhouse in unspoiled Canadian wilderness.

After three years of planning, the dream was about to begin - even the family pet, black labrador Harvey, had been cleared to enter the country and waited with new neighbours who had laid on a welcome party for the newcomers.

But then the border guard dropped her bombshell: seven year-old daughter Lucy wasn't allowed into Canada because she has learning difficulties.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...disabled.html#

You've got to feel sorry for them, however it was pretty stupid to fly over before PR had been granted...

I never realised the Daily Mail was such a champion of immigrant rights.

I have worked with a lot of children who have the same syndrome as stated above. It used to be called the
" Happy puppet syndrome"

I must say all the children I have worked with in later life will need a lot of care and respite. Most of the youngsters were very well loved at home but still needed residential care, at a basic they had respite.

Maybe they are looking at the longterm prognosis and not taking it at face value at this present time.

Sad story ....

Sounds like they were trying to beat the system. I guess it's sad for the family, but the rules are rightly in place to protect Canada from immigrants who are likely to place a burden on the healthcare system either now or in the future.

People who go to the press to try and beat the system that applies to everyone else really annoy me.

There was a thread on this in the main forum recently - http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=551789

The daughter had already failed a medical, and they still went ahead and bought property, moved their pets, and intended to enrol their son in school next month - all as tourists - as if acquiring the necessary status to live in Canada somehow didn't apply to them. If they had professional help (which you'd have hoped they would, after making a failed application already!) they should have known better. I feel bad for their kids and the upset this must have caused, but really... totally avoidable.

It does put a different slant on it when you get the whole picture doesn't it So the daughter had already failed a medical and they went anyway..It is a shame but they still have no right to buck the system do they

I just came on here to see if anyone had posted about this, it is so sad but at the same time if they have a failed medical ...

If they're White they are

The father was interviewed on BBC Radio London tonight and, encouraged by the presenters, proceeded to bad mouth Canada and Canadian immigration rules.

Reading the post by Bliiiiink above gives the story a whole new slant.

new slant yes, does not change the fact that the canadian government have acted in a completly immoral way. you really want to live in a country that turns away children with learning difficulties? couldnt they see past this and see what a positive contribution the family could have made, seem like a bunch of inefficient morons to me

Immorally?
They went through the process like we all have to do and failed the medical...The process is clear and open so why should anybody expect to be allowed to buck the system and try to enter the country and get their kids in school on a visitors visa? That seems totally irresponsible to me
It is not everyones god given right to be allowed into Canada and whilst the process is frustrating for so many of us it is still the process that they have determined and that they and us must follow however much we like or dislike it.

Just because you do not agree with the decision that they have made that does not make them , to quote you, "Inefficient morons"....What is ineffifcient or moronic about it? .But of course you are welcome to your own opinion but I don't share it

They have not acted in an immoral way at all. The family concerned did not have the required paperwork to enter the country on a permanant basis which they were clearly attempting to do under the guise of visiting.

It seems to me that they have received some poor advice from their consultant in this instance, if indeed they even advised anything, they may not have been aware of the previous issues, though you think they would have been.

Having just completed all of the PNP forms it clearly states that the final decision rests with the federal goverment subject to medicals, police checks etc so nothing is guaranteed and whilst I feel sorry for their situation, it seems they did take a huge risk bearing in mind their previous refusal.

By turning up at Halifax with their goods in container, their dog already there I believe and a property in NS, looking to enter as visitors with no formal paperwork for PR or WP, you can see from the immigration officials point of view that they are perhaps not looking to enter as genuine visitors, they , I believe were only doing their job.

I hope that the medical later this year will resolve the issues for the family.

It is clear from DGF previous posts that he has a particular distaste to Canada immigration/officials.

As you say everybody entitled to their opinion, we just don't have to agree

Well yes I have to totally agree....I have seen his other posts and his newly created identity IanPellow or something like that..
I think he has decided to go to Aus instead because he didn't like how he was treated by the CHC so I wish he would just stop keep bashing Canada / CHC now and go in peace...