U.S. soldiers resisting war fail to find refuge in Canada

Army Sgt. Patrick Hart decided 10 years ago he would not serve in the war in Iraq. Just like thousands of other American soldiers who resisted war during the Vietnam era, Hart planned to take refuge across the border.

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MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - However, after five years of arguing with the Canadian immigration system, Army Sgt. Patrick Hart decided to come back to the U.S., not knowing he would end up in military prison. After arriving in Canada, Hart publicly spoke out against the war. He claimed that the consequence of his action was his extensive prison sentence.

The Buffalo native was court-martialed for disappearance and penalized to serve time in prison for 2 years. "Nobody's won," he said.

Hart was not the only soldier to be deported and sent to prison. A mother of five, Pfc. Kim Rivera, was sentenced in 2013 to 10 months;  Spc. Clifford Cornell of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was sentenced to a one year in 2009, and Pfc. Robin Long, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced to 15 months in 2008.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada spokeswoman Nancy Caron, "Military deserters from the United States are not genuine refugees under the internationally accepted meaning of the term. These unfounded claims clog up our system for genuine refugees who are actually fleeing persecution."

Michelle Robidoux, spokeswoman for the War Resisters Support Campaign in Toronto, explained that around 24 soldiers remain in the country, while appealing decisions or pursuing other actions.

Prosecutors secured their desertion case against Hart with clips from anti-war demonstrations where he is seen stating that he had no plans to return. Hart finally did return, however, after deciding with his wife that it would be best for their son to leave Canada on their own terms.

Hart now resides in Florida and is finishing a nursing degree, assisted by the G.I. Bill.

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