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For Corey Glass, the news was bittersweet. On July 9, the Parkdale resident learned he wouldn’t be deported to the U.S. to face desertion charges from the U.S. Army but his fight for permanent status in Canada is far from over.

The Federal Court of Canada ruled yesterday Glass would be allowed to stay here as it decides whether or not to review his case for asylum. That buys him at least a couple of months to avoid prosecution at the hands of the American government for refusing to return to fight in the Iraq War.

“I’m not out of the woods yet . . . but for now I’ve got a little time, so that’s good,” Glass said. “I feel really good but honestly, it’d be a lot better if (fellow U.S. Army deserter) Robin Long wasn’t in jail right now facing deportation on Monday. I can’t really celebrate wholly until he’s out of jail. His case is very similar to mine.”

Anticipating the worst, Glass is currently homeless - he had his bags packed and had moved out of his Parkdale apartment expecting to be deported. He said he now intends to find new digs in Parkdale and to ask his employer for his job back.

Glass’ lawyer, Alyssa Manning of Parkdale Legal Community Services, told The Villager Glass still needs three decisions to go his way in order to be on the path to permanent Canadian citizenship. The federal court first has to decide to hear his case. If that happens, he’ll get another hearing at and if that decision comes down in Glass’ favour, he’d then be allowed to argue his deportation order anew with immigration officials.

“We argued for two motions for a stay of the removal order . . . both of them were granted. That means Corey can stay in Canada while both of his applications for a judicial review at federal court are considered,” she said. “We don’t know if the court is going to hear them . . . it’s complicated and it’s a lot of steps.

“But it’s a double victory today for Corey in that a stay was granted in both motions.”

A rally initially planned to support Glass on July 10 in front of the American consulate on University Avenue would proceed in the name of conscientious objector Long, who’s currently behind bars in a Nelson, B.C. jail cell facing deportation on July 14.

“It’s one of our guys being sent back,” Glass said of Long. “He hasn’t broken any (Canadian) laws . . . he’s done what he’s done (deserted the American military) for the same reasons we all have.”

Manning added she doesn’t yet know the reasons for which the federal court allowed Glass to remain in Canada. Eventually that information will be sent to her but she frets it won’t come in time to be of assistance to Long’s B.C.-based attorney.

“If we knew the reasons...Long’s lawyer could rely on them for arguing Robin’s stay,” she said. “The only way Corey’s case could be of help to Robin’s case is if the reasons in Corey’s decision came out in time (before July 14) for his lawyer to use.
“In order to get a stay of removal, you have to find there’s a serious legal issue . . . (for instance) the court would have had to find Corey would suffer irreparable harm if he was sent back to the United States.”

A statement issued by the Toronto-based War Resisters Campaign said the refusal of the federal government to stop deportations and actions taken by the Canadian Border Services Agency makes clear Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government wishes to get rid of the conscientious objectors as soon as possible - contrary to the passage of a June 3 Parliamentary motion calling for the opposite.

Meanwhile, Glass looked (perhaps for the first time in months) genuinely happy. The affable young man gathered with other war resisters and supporters at Grossman’s Tavern in the Kensington Market area last night to celebrate the welcome news.

Despite the revelry, none of the Americans gathered could fully suppress the obvious tension they feel. Be it the fear of being ordered out of Canada without warning (as in Long’s case) or the general fear of the unknown.

“If I’m (deported) I’ll be sent back to my unit, at least to face a court martial,” said Dale Landry, a 22-year-old deserter of the U.S. Air Force and one of Glass’ former Parkdale roommates. “There’s basically nothing stopping (the military) while you’re in their custody awaiting court martial from beating you up and totally treating you like crap. There’s no accountability for that.”

For more information visit www.resisters.ca online.