The congregation at Port Credit's Trinity Anglican Church is rallying around one of its own, providing sanctuary since last October to a Nigerian woman slated for deportation.
Felicia Abimbola Akinwalere, affectionately known as Ola to members of the church, has been living in a renovated choir room in the church while waiting to hear the results of her third, and latest, application to stay in Canada. She has applied on humanitarian grounds.
If she leaves church grounds, she could be arrested and deported to Nigeria, without her common-law husband and 11-year-old daughter, Alice, both Canadian citizens.
"I'm worried every day," said Ola, who has lived in Mississauga for the last 17 years, and has been a member of the church for 11 years. "I need my freedom. I can't walk on the streets, I can't go anywhere, I can't do anything. I'm just stuck in the church basement...it's like a house arrest."
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) spokesperson Patrizia Giolti said, "While we have not entered a church to arrest someone in the past, there is no law preventing us (from) doing so. Each case is decided based on its own merits."
While the CBSA cannot speak about specific cases due to the Privacy Act, officials did speak, in general terms, about sanctuary cases, of which there are currently 10 in Canada.
"Our refugee determination system is one of the fairest and most generous in the world," said Giolti. "We do not condone persons, who having exhausted all legal avenues, now hide in...places of worship...to avoid removal from Canada. We expect people to respect our laws and to leave Canada when required."
Ola came from Nigeria in 1990 on a visitor's permit, and found out soon after that her husband had gone missing back home and was presumed dead. She eventually moved in with a man, with whom she had a daughter. She fears persecution if she goes back to Nigeria.
"Nigeria is not a safe country," she said. "There's no way I can go, especially with my little girl...and I can't leave her behind."
Ola said she has received plenty of support from her church.
"They are wonderful people," she said. "Without them, I don't know what life would be today...I feel blessed that I know them."
When Father Steven Mackison learned Ola had received deportation papers in February of last year, he acted quickly. After receiving permission from the church's Area and Diocesan Bishops to provide Ola sanctuary, Mackison called an emergency meeting of church members, who decided to help her stay in the country. They've also raised money to help out.
"From the beginning, this was an act of love," said Mackison. "As difficult as it is for her day by day, we are immensely gratified that we can do this for her."
One Free World International, a refugee advocacy group, has been working with Ola, and immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges has taken on her case pro bono.

onlinenews@mississauga.net