Bledi, This is Our Home

Documentary, 53 minutes
Original version: French (Bledi, mon pays est ici)
English subtitles (Bledi, This is Our Home)

Producer: Lucie Pageau
© 2006 Productions Multi-Monde

Fleeing their war-torn homeland, forty thousand Algerians come to Montreal, Quebec in the 1990’s. Many are refused refugee status and are not allowed to study or work normally. Years go by, children are born and Canada becomes home. Then comes 911. Deportations begin.

The “non-status Algerians” decide to fight to stay in Canada. Bledi, This is Our Home follows some of the key actors in a roller-coaster of direct actions, lobbying efforts, victories and setbacks. For the first time in Canadian history, the tradition of sanctuary is violated when Mohamed Cherfi is dragged out of a Quebec City church… then tossed in a U.S. jail. Dramatic and personal, Bledi, This is Our Home raises crucial questions about Canada’s refugee policies and its treatment of Muslims and Arabs.

This post is also available in — FR — .