Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trucker who caused Broncos crash applies to have permanent resident status returned

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Jul, 2024 09:51 AM
  • Trucker who caused Broncos crash applies to have permanent resident status returned

The truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash has applied to have his permanent resident status returned.

The Immigration and Refugee Board issued a deportation order in May for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu and his permanent resident status was revoked.

Sidhu is from India and arrived in Canada in 2014.

In 2018, while living in Calgary, the rookie truck driver barrelled through a stop sign and into the path of the junior hockey team’s bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Sask. 

Sixteen people on the bus were killed and 13 were injured. 

Sidhu pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was granted full parole last year. 

Lawyer Michael Greene says his client has applied to regain permanent resident status on humanitarian grounds.

"The test is what would a reasonable person want to relieve the misfortunes of this individual," Greene said.

"Now, it's against the horrific nature of the consequences of his mistake. He pretty much has everything else going for him in terms of humanitarian grounds."

Greene said he likely won't to hear anything about the application for several months, and the application will likely take up to two years to process.

"They look at how well he's established in Canada, what kind of family ties and community ties. They look at the best interests of the child," Greene said.

Sidhu and his wife have one-year-old with severe heart and lung complications. 

"In this case, it really makes a difference. It would be very difficult for that child to live in India with his health conditions. So the best interests of the child is a big issue for him."

Several family members of those killed in the crash have said they want Sidhu deported. Others have called for him to be allowed to stay.

The Reconciliation Action Group in Calgary has extended its support to Sidhu.

"The Reconciliation Action Group stands against his deportation that is based on racial biases. Mr. Sidhu has a Canadian wife and Canadian-born child with health issues and his deportation will harm them," the organization said in a statement.

Calgary MP George Chahal is also asking federal politicians to block the deportation, saying Sidhu has served his time for the tragic accident.

Former federal Conservative leader Erin O'Toole tweeted in December that Sidhu's deportation will not heal those hurt by the crash.

"I have long believed that he deserved to be granted (permanent residency) on compassionate grounds and I say that respectful of the families who will forever grieve," O'Toole said.

MORE National ARTICLES

A no from me': Ali refuses to hear B.C. murder victim's father ahead of sentencing

A no from me': Ali refuses to hear B.C. murder victim's father ahead of sentencing
A man convicted of murdering a 13-year-old Burnaby, B.C., girl has repeatedly told a pre-sentencing hearing that he didn't kill her, after refusing to listen to his interpreter during an impact statement by the girl's father. A portion of the recorded statement was being played to test equipment ahead of Friday's sentencing hearing for Ibrahim Ali, who faces a life term for the 2017 killing.

A no from me': Ali refuses to hear B.C. murder victim's father ahead of sentencing

Drop in drug overdose deaths

Drop in drug overdose deaths
Drug overdose deaths are down by 24 per cent between April last year and this April, but still B-C’s Coroner says 182 people died. Fentanyl remains the primary killer, with the drug detected in 82 per cent of test results for those who died so far this year. 

Drop in drug overdose deaths

Vancouver police crack down on stolen goods that turn up on downtown sidewalks

Vancouver police crack down on stolen goods that turn up on downtown sidewalks
Vancouver police say a crackdown on the sale of stolen goods that turn up on the sidewalks of the city's Downtown Eastside has led to five arrests and turned up more than $650,000 in cash, drugs and stolen property. Insp. Mario Mastropieri says a shoplifting "epidemic" is fuelling an illicit market in stolen goods run by organized criminals, that's affecting small businesses, their staff, and customers.

Vancouver police crack down on stolen goods that turn up on downtown sidewalks

Vancouver mayor grieves stabbing death of 32-year-old chef near Chinatown

Vancouver mayor grieves stabbing death of 32-year-old chef near Chinatown
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has issued a statement saying police are working tirelessly to find the person responsible for a fatal stabbing near the city's Chinatown early Wednesday.  Sim says the city is grieving the loss of 32-year-old Wataru Kakiuchi, a talented chef in a Yaletown Japanese restaurant. 

Vancouver mayor grieves stabbing death of 32-year-old chef near Chinatown

Police in B.C. arrest two for theft of $2.5M worth of stolen vehicles

Police in B.C. arrest two for theft of $2.5M worth of stolen vehicles
Two men face more than a dozen charges each after British Columbia's provincial auto crime team recovered 29 high-end vehicles valued at $2.5 million. RCMP say in a news release that they started their investigation in February when numerous newer-model trucks and SUVs were stolen across the Lower Mainland.

Police in B.C. arrest two for theft of $2.5M worth of stolen vehicles

Drones, dogs, helicopters and ground crews search for missing mountaineers in B.C.

Drones, dogs, helicopters and ground crews search for missing mountaineers in B.C.
The search and rescue team in Squamish, B.C., says helicopters, groundcrews, drones and avalanche dogs are involved in the search for three mountaineers missing for nearly a week. A social media post by the team says the search resumed at 5:30 a.m. Thursday in the area on Mount Garibaldi where the trio was last seen on May 31.

Drones, dogs, helicopters and ground crews search for missing mountaineers in B.C.