David Empey

You may have heard about Alvaro Orozco in the news. Alvaro is a young gay man from Nicaragua who is fighting to stay in Canada (his immigration application was denied because the adjudicator did not believe he had proved he was gay). This is very interesting - and disgusting. I presume that one is not required to prove heterosexuality, and requiring someone to prove any other sexual orientation suggests that heterosexuality is "normal" and the others are not. It is precisely this type of attitude that gives rise to the need for people to leave other places and come to this country. I had thought Canada was beyond this.

Of course, the story is somewhat more complicated that this (you can read about it here). The apparent concern is that the young man is lying about being gay to stay in Canada. Right, people are clamoring to be gay so that they can stay here. I don't believe he is lying - but, even if he is, the price of living in a decent and caring society which is serious about human rights is that the occasional person may lie. Surely, though, the onus is on the naysayer to prove that the applicant is lying, and not the other way around. That is the price we pay for living in the kind of society we want. And it is a small price.

On his website, Alvaro asks for help (writing to the minister of immigration, etc.). Please consider doing so.