By Canadian Press

Ottawa urged to grant permanent residency to wrongfully arrested Quebec man

Feb 16, 2021 | 1:06 PM

MONTREAL — Ottawa is being urged to grant permanent residency to a Quebec man who was wrongfully arrested, charged with attempted murder of a police officer and detained for six days before being let go.

A lawyer representing Mamadi III Fara Camara says a request was filed on Friday asking the federal immigration minister to grant his client residency based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Guillaume Cliche-Rivard says Camara is in Canada on a study permit that expires in mid-May and that the minister has the power to grant him residency.

Camara was arrested Jan. 28 after a police officer was allegedly disarmed and attacked with his own service weapon, and he was originally charged with attempted murder and other serious offences before he was fully exonerated.

He recently told Quebec talk show “Tout le monde en parle” that he had been traumatized by the events, which included being roughly arrested and forbidden to speak to his family while detained.

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The House of Commons unanimously adopted a Bloc Quebecois motion today calling on the immigration minister to grant Camara permanent residency as soon as possible, while in Quebec City, the leaders of the Liberal party and the Parti Quebecois said they were in favour of helping Camara remain in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2021.

The Canadian Press