Categories: Need to know

Ottawa revokes permanent resident status of Tunisian ruler’s son in-law

Belhassen Trabelsi reportedly violated residency requirements

by macleans.ca on Thursday, January 27, 2011 4:54pm - 9 Comments

The Canadian government has reportedly revoked the permanent-resident status of the billionaire brother-in-law of deposed Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Belhassen Trabelsi, who arrived in Canada with his family last week, had his status revoked Thursday, according to Radio-Canada, because he did not meet specific residency conditions, including that requiring him to have stayed in Canada for two years over a five-year period. Trabelsi is the reputed leader of a family that ran much of Tunisia’s economy with an iron fist. His sister, Leila, married Tunisia’s then-president in the 1990s. Trabelsi, who is currently holed up in a hotel west of Montreal, is apparently considering applying for refugee status after Tunisia’s transition government issued an international warrant for his arrest.

Radio Canada

Tags: Tunisia

madeyoulook

I guess permanent resident isn't so permanent after all.
anonymous

yeah Trabelsi will have a permanent residency alright … in hell that is. It will be permanent and it will be free that's for sure!

Tony LaJeunesse

For you to wish hell on anyone, you should remain anonymous. We normally reserve hellfire and damnation for people who think impure thoughts, look at pictures of naked women, and act on their feelings of lust, not abscond with half of their country's treasury. Granted, Belhassen Trabelsi probably isn't a nice guy, but there have been a lot worse in the Arab world, like Saddam Hussein.

Tomás Rosa Bueno

What hipocrisy! While he was enjoying the benefits of his father's dictatorship (or maybe the Canadian government wasn't aware of this?) he was good enough to be a permanent resident.
Leo

Good. Harper said “They are not welcome — I’ll be very clear — we do not welcome them in our country.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/929003…
Tony LaJeunesse

Why is it that what passes for refugee camps in Haiti aren't good enough for people like Belhassen Trabelsi? What we should do is take all his money, give it to the Haitians, and put him in a homeless shelter in Montreal. If he still wants refugee status, then we can him refugee status. If it turns out that the charges of corruption laid against him are merely "politically motivated," we say, "Sorry! We made a mistake."

Jenn_

And we can freeze all his assets in Canada, so much the same thing.

Philanthropist

Good riddance. Thanks Prime Minister Harper!

truenorth

Agree…Lets just hope the Government will keep taking this stance with undesireable persons, groups, etc, and not just the high profile cases…fingers crossed…..