Click here to view the PETITION

12/12/2009 Minister Kenney proposes significant improvements to the Live-in Caregiver Program.
3/8/2009 Juana passed away on International Women's Day. Viewings will be held at DeMarco Funeral Home, 3725 Keele St., North York, Ontario, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.
7/18/2008 To all caring and compassionate people who signed the online petition and opened their hearts to Juana:

We are pleased to confirm that Juana's dying wish to be given permanent residency status in Canada has been granted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). At a press conference held July 18, 2008, Juana's lawyer, Rafael Fabregas, announced that CIC has found Juana eligible for permanent residency status and will grant her visa application once all landing requirements have been met.

This is great news for Juana and all her supporters. The threat of deportation that has been hanging over Juana's head, and weighing down her spirits, has been lifted. As Juana herself stated during the press conference, she can now focus on fighting her deadly medical condition.

We were at the press conference and were asked by Juana personally to extend her thanks to all of you. So, on Juana's behalf, we thank you for signing the online petition. Without a doubt, your strong show of support for Juana helped persuade the authorities to reverse the deportation order.

We also thank Prime Minister Harper and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley, for listening to Juana's appeal for humanitarian consideration and acting accordingly. They have restored our faith in the innate goodness of Canadians.

Last but not least, we also thank Juana for remaining steadfast in her fight against the deportation order. She has said that she is fighting not just for her rights but also for those of other caregivers like her. Her resolute determination to pursue her case until the end has in our view paved the way for the establishment of a precedent-setting decision that will likely benefit many of the thousands of caregivers in Canada who may find themselves in a similar situation. The CIC decision in Juana's case may lead to the removal of the requirement for a second medical examination as a condition for obtaining permanent residency status for caregivers, an onerous and unfair requirement that applies only to the caregiver class of temporary workers. For her heroic fight for better treatment of caregivers, Juana deserves our praise, admiration and gratitude.

Juana's fight with the CIC is all but over, but her fight against her deadly cancer is not. As was reported in the news media, Juana has stage 4 cancer that has spread to her lungs and is taking morphine to ease her pain. We ask you to please remember Juana in your prayers. Please lift her up in your daily prayers and ask the Almighty for her speedy recovery so that her joy will be complete. She still needs our help.

Gratefully,

Oswald and Mila Magno
www.juana-tejada.info


Click here link to view press release issued by Juana Tejada's lawyer.

Click here to view photos taken during the press conference.
7/17/2008
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has rendered its decision on Juana Tejada's dying wish that she be granted permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
The decision will be announced on Friday, July 18 at 10:00 a.m. during a press conference at the offices of Mamann & Associates Immigration Lawyers, 74 Victoria Street, Suite 303, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The formal announcement will be made by her lawyer, Rafael Fabregas.
Juana Tejada, her husband Noli Azada, and some members of the community who supported Juana's application will be in attendance to answer any questions.
Juana Tejada will be making a plea to the Government of Canada to make changes to the Live-in Caregiver program so that no other live-in caregiver will have to go through the hardship that she has experienced.
7/4/2008 Juana's lawyer, Rafael Fabregas, submitted documents to CIC case officer in support of Juana's appeal for humanitarian consideration.
6/27/2008 Mila submitted formal printed petition to the following Members of Parliament:
6/26/2008 This morning, June 26, 2008, Citizenship and Immigration Canada informed Juana that they will also be covering all her previous medical expenses from the time her Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) expired in August 2007. All in all, these expenses, without doctor's fees and medication, add up to about 15,000 Canadian dollars. This extremely rare decision was made on humanitarian grounds, and only because of the particular circumstances of Juana's case.

This generous and much appreciated gesture by Citizenship and Immigration Canada came because of the growing support Juana is getting from the community, from Canadians, and from people around the world.
Your help made a difference in this case. Let's continue to give Juana the support and help as her request for permanent residence remains pending. Let's all do everything we can to give Juana her dying wish.
6/21/2008 Juana appeared as guest of UPAA Toronto "Kapihan". Tells gathering that she hoped that her case will result in better treatment of other caregivers in the future. Click here to view a video.
6/20/2008 On June 20, 2008, at around 3 p.m. in the afternoon, CIC advised Juana that they would be issuing her Interim Federal Health (IFH) coverage, valid to December 10, 2008. On the bigger question of her permanent residence, they advised her that a decision will be made on either (a) a need for further submissions from Juana, or (b) a decision on whether to grant her request.

The permanent residence application remains pending at this time.
6/20/2008 Mila and Oswald Magno issued statement to UPAA colleagues that government action offers little comfort to Tejada. The threat of deportation still hangs over her head. Urged continuation of petition and interventions for Juana.
6/20/2008 CBC TV / Radio announces Harper government's decision to let Juana stay until her appeal is heard. Juana granted health coverage until December 10, 2008
6/18/2008 Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ) and Migrante Ontario and other organizations formed a coalition to demand justice for Juana Tejada. Announced mass action/picket/rally on June 27.
6/17/2008 PMO replied stating that PM has received the petition and further stating that the Minister of CIC has received a copy of the petition, which will be given due consideration
6/14/2008 Mila and Oswald Magno sent copy of on-line petition to Prime Minister Harper
6/11/2008 Online petition www.juana-tejada.info initiated by Mila and Oswald Magno
6/2/2008 CIC advised Juana that her file was transferred to a local office (CIC Etobicoke) for further assessment.
5/16/2008 CIC acknowledged a procedural error on their part, and re-opened her case. Juana immediately requested an opportunity to make further submissions on humanitarian and compassionate grounds prior to a final decision being rendered.
4/1/2008 CIC again refused Juana’s application this time on the ground that she was medically inadmissible. In response to her request for humanitarian consideration, the officer wrote: “while I am sympathetic to your situation, I am not satisfied that these circumstances justify granting an exemption.. In the opinion of a medical officer, this health condition might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health and social services”.
3/12/2008 CIC acknowledged receipt of that letter. CIC re-opened her case and advised her that her medical condition will be reviewed by a medical officer in Ottawa
2/21/2008 Juana sent another letter to CIC on February 21, 2008, insisting that she sent a letter in December 2007.
2/8/2008 CIC refused her application, noting that she never replied to their October 2007 letter.
12/11/2007 She sent a letter on December 11, 2007, and requested that CIC make an exemption on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
10/22/2007 CIC told Juana that her application for permanent residence could be refused because she was medically inadmissible. She was given 60 days to make submissions, before a final decision is rendered.
2-3/2007

In late February or early March 2007, the tests revealed that Juana had stage IV colon cancer.

8/2006 Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) found Juana eligible for permanent residence and granted her an open work permit. To be considered for permanent resident status, however, she was required to undergo medical tests. Her tests showed she had an abnormality.
1/2006 Juana applied for permanent residence.
3/15/2003 Juana Tejada arrived in Canada and worked as a live-in caregiver for four young children of a married couple.

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