Banners at the demonstration announced that the civil war in Algeria continues and that there have been 150,000 deaths and 8,000 disappeared. Participants chanted, "Algeria is still at war! Stop the deportations," and, "Our country is here."

Menouar Llarara, a member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, took the day off work to participate. He has lived in Canada for five years but has no status. Samia, who has been in the country eight years without status and whose two children were born here, also participated.

Although they have been permitted to stay in Canada, Algerian and other refugees are denied the right to a health insurance card and are unable to attend school if they have a work permit. The yearly renewal of the work permit costs $150. The immigrants don’t have the right to family allowance payments, even for children who were born here.

The refugees’ Action Committee organizes picket lines every Monday at a federal government building in Montreal. They are demanding that those who don’t have status be recognized and that the moratorium on deportations to Algeria be reinstated.

"For us, Minister Coderre’s decision is purely political and is aimed at promoting the economic interests of those who want to do business with Algeria," states a leaflet issued by the group. As Mohamed Cherfi, one of the organizers of the action, explained, "nothing has changed in Algeria and the decision [to revoke the moratorium] was taken immediately after a business visit by Prime Minister Jean Chretien."

Joanne Pritchard is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 500.  
 
 
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