A French family who immigrated to Canada in 2005 may be forced to leave the country due to government fears about the cost of their daughter’s cerebral palsy.
David Barlagne moved to Montreal to start a computer software business in 2005. He spoke with Canadian officials about his daughter Rachel’s disability before making the move and was told that it would pose no problem once the family was settled.
But when Barlagne, his wife and two daughters sought permanent residency in 2009, Rachel, 7, was deemed “medically inadmissible.” The other members of the family passed Canada’s required medical exam.
With a now successful business, Barlagne says the family is living in limbo as they wait for a judicial review set for February. The family could be forced to leave the country immediately if they lose. A victory would merely mean that their file would get another review.
Government officials estimate that Rachel could cost $5,000 more each year than her peers due to her disability, placing an “excessive burden on social services.”
A lawyer for the family counters that the Barlagnes tax payments and other contributions to Canadian society more than make up for any extra costs their daughter could pose, reports Canwest News Service. To read more click here.
Unfortunately this is pretty common with most countries- at one point I was looking to emigrate to the U.S., and we would have been refused because of my kids’ autism.
I’m curious as to how the family managed to live here for 4 years before applying for permanent residency, and why they didn’t check into it more fully before moving here. My husband got his permanent residency just over a year ago, and the medical qualifications are very clearly spelled out even on the Canada Immigration website, let alone on the forms that you need to take with you to do the medical exam.
I am definitely not saying that it’s right that people should be refused on medical grounds- I’m just unclear on how this family could have misunderstood the medical requirements.
Oh, Canada! And we think of Canadians as being so nice…