Filipino man's deportation order appealed

Yukon Federation of Labour president Alex Furlong will ask federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to allow Francis Dura to stay in Canada.

Dura, a Filipino man living in Whitehorse, was convicted at an immigration hearing on Monday of violating his foreign work permit, and ordered deported.

"Immediately there will be an appeal to the federal minister, Minister [Jason] Kenney, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds on behalf of Francis. He's not a threat to Canadian society," Furlong said. "We have employers in the Yukon willing to employ him and we'd ask the minister to consider that."

Dura came to Canada in January on a two-year temporary visa to legally work for Canadian Tire in Calgary, but didn't report for the job.

Dura said he was waiting for the immigration agency that facilitated his move to Canada to send him to a job, but when nothing happened, he went to Whitehorse to visit family and found a job at Tim Hortons.

Tim Hortons suspended Dura when it realized he didn't have a valid work permit. An application for a work permit was made to the Yukon nominee program, but Dura was arrested before it went through.

Dura has said that he broke the law unwittingly because he didn't understand the process.

Dura can appeal the immigration hearing decision to Federal Court, but Furlong said that's an expensive long shot.

The deportation order will be faxed to Yukon Canada Border Services Agency agents today, authorities said, but it's not certain when the deportation order will be executed.

Dura was arrested after he hid in a closet when Canada Border Services agents paid a visit to his roommate, Renaldo Verdeflor.

Verdeflor might also be deported. His immigration hearing is on Wednesday.