Achi news desk-
calgary –
A deportation hearing for the truck driver who caused the fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash six years ago is scheduled for next month.
Lawyer Michael Greene said on Monday that the hearing of his client Jaskirat Singh Sidhu would be held on May 24.
“It was inevitable. I mean, the (immigration) minister could always decide not to go ahead with it, but it doesn’t seem to be happening right now anyway,” Greene said in an interview.
“There’s nothing to challenge him. You’re either convicted or you’re not. All they have to establish is that he’s not a citizen and he’s been convicted guilty.”
Sidhu was sentenced to eight years in prison for causing a 2018 crash in Saskatchewan that killed 16 people and injured 13 others. He pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving.
The Calgary rookie loris picked up a newly married permanent resident from India at a stop sign on a rural intersection near Tisdale, Sask., and drove into the path of the bus carrying the junior hockey team to a playoff game.
Sidhu was granted full parole last year.
In December, the Federal Court rejected requests from Sidhu’s lawyer, who argued that Canada Border Services officials did not consider Sidhu’s previous clean criminal record and remorse. He had asked for an order for the agency to carry out a second review.
Greene said deportation hearings usually only take a few minutes. After that happens, he said the real work begins.
“Once he stops being a permanent resident then he can file an application on humanitarian grounds. Our goal is to do that fairly quickly,” said Greene.
“How long it takes after that is the big unknown. It could be months. It could be years.”
Greene said that once a person is ordered deported, a risk assessment is conducted before removal and that usually takes a few months. He said Sidhu can also ask for an adjournment while his application for permanent resident status is considered.
“The wheels of justice move slowly at times. It’s been playing out for over six years now,” Greene said.
“We are cautiously optimistic. You cannot remove the fact of the conviction and the damage done.
“But everything else about him is positive and there is a lot of community support, although there are some people who cannot and will never forgive.”
