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The Kincardine Rotary Club was supposed to be hosting a Group Study Team from Colombia on May 25 at the Kincardine Legion, but that's not going to happen because the Canadian government will not grant visas to the group to enter Canada.

John Hill, president of the Rotary Club, said the Group Study Exchange program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals, between the ages of 25 and 40, who are in the early stages of their careers.

The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practised abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

The Colombians are agricultural professionals and were to visit local farms in Bruce County.

Hill said Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb is being asked to help solve the problem.

The following letter was sent to Lobb Tuesday (May 11) from Don Moore, Assistant Governor, Area 2, District Youth Exchange chairman, Rotary District 6330:

"As a constituent member living in Bruce County, I wanted to share the E-mail below which has advised our 42 Rotary Clubs in Western Ontario that our inbound Group Study Exchange team from Colombia has been DENIED visas to enter Canada. 

"The Group Study Exchange Program is an important Rotary International program which promotes sharing and better understanding between countries and the vocations of the members participating. District 6330 is one of 530 Rotary districts in the world! I am appalled that our Citizenship and Immigration Canada (probably in Bogota) has denied these members the opportunity to visit agricultural establishments in Bruce, Grey, Huron, Middlesex, Perth, Elgin and Lambton counties.

"I represent Area 2 of District 6330 as an Assistant Governor. The clubs for which I am responsible include Kincardine, Walkerton, Hanover, Mildmay, Clifford, Drayton and Listowel. Our local team had a wonderful visit planned for these five Colombians between May 21 and May 26 when they would have moved onto clubs in Huron County.

"As my Member of Parliament, I am hoping that you can persuade our government to look more closely at the benefits that such a Rotary program brings to our country. We have already had an outbound team from District 6330 go to Colombia earlier this year. The team leader from our district is a Rotarian in the Stratford Rotary Club.

"I must say that the denial of these visas by our Canadian government has “damaged” relations we have established with Rotary Clubs in Colombia and perhaps other parts of South America. As the District Chairman of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, we have been trying to re-establish youth exchanges between our district and some districts in the Bogota area. This latest action by our government has set us back.

"I would appreciate if you could look into the reasons why these people were denied admission to Canada, particularly western Ontario, to participate as members of a Colombian Group Study Exchange team."

Moore was responding to the following E-mail message from Joan Fisher, District Group Study Exchange (GSE) co-chairperson:

"Despite all our best efforts and lobbying with the federal government, members of the Colombian GSE team have been unable to successfully obtain Canadian visas. This has been a huge blow for everyone who has painstakingly prepared for their visit to our District. We thank each and every one of you for your tremendous effort in planning a truly memorable visit for the team.

"We do, however, have positive news for the American clubs in our District! The team has been able to secure U.S. visas so will be travelling to Michigan, but on a revised schedule. It’s anticipated that the team will now arrive June 6 and carry on the schedule that has already been prepared for them. They will be staying on in Michigan until  approximately June 27 or 28 which means their U.S. schedule will now need to be expanded.  Jeff Bennett will be in touch with all the U.S. clubs in this regard. 

"If clubs in your Area are not presently scheduled to host the GSE team, I urge you to reconsider to give them a sampling of your fine hospitality. We are possibly looking at a larger event being staged in Port Huron, or thereabouts, in which Canadian Rotarians will be able to participate too.

"We are hugely disappointed by this turn of events, but know, as Rotarians, we’ll rise to the occasion and give the Colombian GSE team the trip of a lifetime. We’re counting on you to make this happen. We’ll keep you posted as information becomes available.

"In the meantime, please notify, with regret, all involved of this radical shift in schedule and thank them for their contribution." 

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010