A Victoria woman who made a Youtube video to highlight the federal government’s refusal to allow her Jamaican fiancé into Canada to attend the birth of their child continues to appeal for the public’s help in the matter.
Eloise Patmore, who is eight months pregnant with a daughter and unable to travel outside B.C. due to testing positive for the Zika virus, is doing all she can to see that Charles Frost can join her here for the birth.
But Immigration Canada has so far denied Frost a visitor’s visa for entry into the country. In a letter published on her Facebook page, Patmore said she is “outraged” about the written reasons she says ministry officials gave her for refusing Frost admission to Canada. She is asking people to view the video and forward their support for the couple to Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen.
“I strongly encourage you to pass this message to the minister so that we are allowed a fair review of our application,” wrote Patmore, a 22-year-old St. Michaels University School alumna.
Among the reasons for the refusal she quoted were that they submitted “too many documents” and may have overwhelmed the immigration officer; that it is not in Jamaican culture for the father to be present at the birth of a child; that Jamaican students – Frost’s status – tend to overstay their visa times, and that Frost does not own property in his home country.
“Charles, my fiancé, is an outstanding student, bonded by contract to return to Jamaica for 5 years following his degree, he has extensive travel history (including visits to meet up with me in the US where he STILL respected the terms of his visas). He has NO criminal record,” Patmore wrote.
She has been told by a specialist that her baby is developing normally, but there is no guarantee it won’t be born without the Zika virus, which can cause birth defects. Patmore told CBC that their original hope was to have Frost arrive a few weeks before the due date – the first week of June – and stay until a few weeks after the birth to be able to bond with his child.
Patmore said she understands the government must have rules in place for immigration and short-term visitors. But she pointed out that Frost, a skilled debater who has represented his country internationally, is bound by the terms of his scholarship to stay in Jamaica five years after his university graduation and has no intention of moving to Canada anytime soon.
