Friday, April 12, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Vm^ft Pa.."'m Fr..iay,.Apil T:1, "965 THEAT MICHIGAN. DAILY . -- rage rive JAIL, TYHE;I ARiIVMY, OR CANADA: It's Not All Roses for Draft-Dodgers in Toronto t' By RON LANDSMAN special To The Daily TORONTO-Jail, the Army, or Canada. Those are the pos- sibilities. None terribly exciting to average middle class Ameri- can college students, but the time may come when those are the only three choices. How do you choose? "The Canadian Alternative," as they like to call it in Tor- onto, often seems to most Americans very remote and very forbidding. It is far away from family and friends, it offers no pros- pect of returning, it. seems to offer little culturally, intellec- tually or socially compared to the States, and there don't seem to be the same job oppor- tunities there are here. All of these worries are real and valid, but they are coun- ter-balanced both by the lack of alternatives and by some very real advantages Toronto has. The greatest difficulty for Americans to overcome is the realization that the United States is not the center of the universe, that it is actually pos- sible for a human being to live a full, rewarding life somewhere t else. "I'm really 'in' here," one successful ex-American says. "I like the way I'm living -- good job with the Toronto Star, nice social group - I don't think I'd go back to the States even if there was an amnesty for draft-dodgers. At least not to stay," he adds. The pitfalls that every new American must face may even- tually become overwhelming, and those that return to Amer- ica do so for personal, not po- litical, reasons. A stranger in a strange land has a lot against him, and even with help from such groups as the Toronto Anti-Draft Pro- ' There Are Easy Ways to Canada TORONTO - Going to Tor- onto now is easier than ever. An immigration law developed by then-Justice Minister - now Prime Minister - Pierre Trudeau has made it simpler for American dift-dodgers to win landed immigrant status in Canada. Although not aimed specif- ically at aiding Americans try- ing to avoid the draft, the law 0 has tended to have that effect. The intent of the changes in the Canadian law was to make the test for immigrant status more objective, leaving as little up to the personal whim of the immigration official as possible. 100 Point System The law, passed in late 1967, bases gaining immigrant status on winning 50 points on a 100 point evaluation system. A prospective immigrant can gain points for how much education he has, if he has a job already lined up when he applies for .admission, his age if he is be- tween 18 and :36, ability to speak English and/or French, and having friends or relatives in Canada. There is a loophole, however - one that can work either way. The law allows for 15 points to be awarded on the basis of personality and char- acter, completely at the discre- tion of the immigration official. For a person who has already earned over 50 points in the more objective categories, there is nothing to worry about.'But t~for the immigrant with any- where from 35 to 49 points, that 15 point margin can be crucial., If the potential draft- dodger can impress the official in an interview, he might win enough points to gain entry even if he earned only 35 in the other areas. On the other hand, some- one with 49 points can be de- nied admittance if the official doesn't approve of him. The immediate implication is how the individual's position as a potential draft-dodger affects his standing. Technically, offi- cials are not allowed to ask an immigrant what his draft sta- tus was in the States, but there have been more than a few in- fractions of that rule. Some Good, Some Not The Toronto Anti-Draft Pro- gramme, a counseling agency run mostly by draft-dodgers or anti-war Canadians, keeps rec- ords on which border crossings are best for draft-dodgers to use. Publicly they will only warn of where it is most diffi- cult to gain access, although they have an extensive list of the better spots as well. One draft-dodger who even- tually crossed the border at the Thousand Islands crossing on the St. Lawrence Seaway, had a pleasant surprise when he applied for immigrant status. After rifling through the pa- pers for a while, the official asked him if he was coming over to avoid the draft. He ad- mitted that he was. Cutting Corners The official sort of smiled, and said, "Well, don't worry about anything, I'll take care of it" andsproceeded to cut all the corners and finish up his processing quickly. Others have not been so ,lucky. Some report one or two failures in trying to cross at various points. While the Mon- treal Airport, Sault Ste. Marie, and smaller border crossings tend to be easy, others like De- troit, the Toronto Airport, and the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, N.Y. are notoriously bad. Guild House, Too The Anti-draft programme, in contact with groups similar to the Guild House in Ann Ar- bor, disseminates information on how to prepare for immigra- tion to Canada. The general procedure for obtaining landed' immigrant status-- which is what draft- dodgers want who plan to stay and work in the country - ai- lows three ways to apply fur admittance: at the border when coming over, by mail. through Ottawa, the capital, or through an embassy or consulate. Whichever route is taken, counselors strongly advise that preparations be made, if pos- sible. Whatever the preparation, though, the most important step is psychological. "You can't have any qualms about coming up here," one exper- ienced draft-dodger warns, "but if you come here with the right attitude, you'll be fine." gramme, it takes personal for- titude to succeed. A philosophy professor at the University of Toronto warns of new immigrants being cut-off. "Avoiding a sense of being iso- lated is important. They must find a community of friends to prevent being overwhelmed by that isolation." That is the greatest threat: being trapped in the city with no one to talk to and little to do. Support from parents - moral more than financial ;- is oftenmarkey factor. Getting a satisfying job is another. "I guess I attribute my suc- cess mostly to my parents' at- titude and to getting this job," the reporter for the Toronto Star said. "They were with me all the way and that helped a lot." Records kept at the anti-: draft programme indicate, to no one's surprise, that most draft-dodgers come from large urban centers. A prime consid- eration for them is Toronto's atmosphere. Though no Paris or New York, Toronto is far ahead of Detroit or Pittsburgh. As a city it is most often compared to a very large, slightly modernized town. Whereas French-speaking Mon- treal is seen as the New York- San Francisco of Canada, Tor- onto is considered to be a "simpler Chicago." Toronto is a much slower- paced city than Montreal or San Francisco. "The arts here," one former American explains, "tend to be sort of artsy- craftsy. The night life isn't the same. It's nice," he adds, "but just a little naive." More important, though, is the general mood of becoming a Canadian - and no longer an American - and the change it produces in attitudes about the United States. "The change is amazing," one two-year veteran says. "From here it really looks like it-will .L. :...... ..:........ .": .......... :4{"........ ..... ..l:'i':i:^. ,"Li :'::.i:: ::i:" .:.. "The whole American scene sounds like shrill parodies of real patriotism," one draft-dodger says, "It is really frightening that such an un- wise country has so much power." v.........i ::":.Ni. :'t :" s:"Y i :::: :".:::.:.:.:........;. :::;:: ::::::::. :: :::-:.:' .::: "."": ^.:":{::t.:..: ':iY::.. «.....::.:. ::h'":::4i.3A.! happier and freer," a former Northwestern University jour- nalist says. "There'snot the same huge product orientation as in the States, and the schools - es- pecially the University of Tor- onto-seem to be pretty good," he adds. "The whole American scene sounds like shrill parodies of real patriotism," he concludes. "It is really frightening that such an unwise country has so much power." Despite the many personal problems a new immigrant doesn't hurt. There's no hos- tility," he adds. Some observers explain this as the result- of a general apathy of Canadians to poli- tics, especially when it is for- eign politics. "It's not that most Canadians approve or disap- prove," a Torontoan explained, "They just don't give a damn." Another native Torontoan ex- plains, "The Toronto man on the street is probably eighty per cent indifferent. Of those who feel strongly, most of them are against the war and will- ing to help." be all over for the U.S. in a few years. It all looks so fran- tic, so much on edge." "One huge improvement is the lack of pressure," another adds. "It's hard to generalize so much, but it really seems as though the people here are faces, Toronto - and most of Canada - appeals to draft- dodgers for one overriding rea- son: they look favorably on American draft-dodgers. "While it's not exactly a rav- ing honor to be a draft-dodger," one explains, "it certainly. Is this the last-minute line to Follett's where they're giving more cash for used textbooks? Naw, buddy,'dis is a jailbreak. 11 SPRING and/or SUMMER TERM TEN HOUSES near campus ROOM & BOARD $21.00/week BOARD ONLY $13.00/week Join a Co-op This Summer Inter-Cooperative Council 2546 SAB 668-6872 {I ' ' Members work 4 hours er weekw MIDDLE EARTH IS HIGH ON STATE STREET at 215 S STATE (3rd FLOOR LOFT) Planning a trip? Then for your highway needs, take along one of our travelling head kits, our' wire rim- med sunshades in a variety of glasses,scales, stash bags . . . and all manner of more bulky items. HOURS: 11 .A.M. - 10 P.M. WEEKDAYS Make your break early and avoid the rush. DONT DELAY Follett's will pay 'BIG MONEY, for used 'book No one, but no one should miss out on a good thing, And extra cash is the good thing you'll miss out on if you haven't brought in your used textbooks to Follett's yet. We give extra cash because, frankly we are part of a large operation and it needs your books to stay that way. We'll even buy books that won't be used on this campus next semester. The more books we get, the less we have to make on re-sale, and the more we can pay you for your used books. So, hustle down to Follett's and keep this good thing going. C ASH for your USED BOOKS at1 WAHR'S UNIVERSITY BOOK STORE F R OLLETTS F_____ M CH GA N OKST CONTRIBUTING TO EDUCATION iNRaUSN SERVICE AND, TAXES STATE STREET AT NORTH UNIVERSITY * ANN ARBOR 11 A.M. - MIDNIGHT FRI. and SAT. READ AND USE DAILY CLASSIFIED ADS 316 S. State NO 2-5669 I It WHY WE SUPPORT I I 0 Of all the prospective and declared candidates for President of the United States, we believe that Senator 'Robert F. Kennedy is the most deserving of enthusiastic support. Why do we feel this? ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS: IN THIS COUNTRY: In criticizing American policy in Vietnam he has recognized that the tragic errors of the poJicy are symptoms of a fundamental failure to understand the nature of nationalist and anti-colonial forces in the Third World. He was the first of the candidates (in February, 1966) to stress the importance of in-, cluding the NLF in any solution to the Vietnam conflict. He openly attacked the system of apartheid during his student-sponsored trip to South Africa in 1966. He has identified himself with the aspirations of WE BELIEVE that Senator Kennedy understands the seriousness of the prob- lems confronting America at home and abroad far better than any other candi- democratic forces in Latin America and other de- veloping areas seeking necessary land reforms and other sweeping social changes. ' He has actively sought measures to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and clearly recognizes that the security of America and the international community cannot be purchased through an ever- spiraling arms race. * To the peoples of the world he symbolizes a hope for America's return to the traditions of Wilson, FDR, and John F. Kennedy. date. Moreover, he has demonstrated the will to take the major steps necessary to ' He has consistently championed the cause of dis- advantaged and- powerless groups in our society in their quest for equity and justice. . He has led the fight for legislation to protect black people, Indians, Mexican Americans, farm laborers, the aged, and dependent children. " He was the only major political figure to support Cesar Chavez in his courageous and difficult cam- paign to organize migrant workers in California., " In his continuing search for solutions to the crisis in our cities he has sought ways-such as tenant- FINALLY, because of his extensive, experience in both the legislative and executive branches of government, in for- eign and domestic affairs, we believe owned housing and cooperatives-by which resi- dents can actively participate in the control of institutions which govern their lives. In this "and other proposals he has shown a willingness to look beyond the conventional wisdom of the last thirty years. * Because of this record, Kennedy is the only major candidate who commands the respect and trust of this country's ethnic minorities and lower income groups. This was vividly demonstrated by his en- thusiastic reception in Watts. that Senator Kennedy is the strongest candidate the Democratic Party can.offer against the probable and dismal Repub- lican choice. solve these rally others problems and a capacity to in this effort. Albert Feuerwerker Judy William Gamson Dav Les Goldman Har Alan Guskin Mar John Bishop John Bowditch Demming Brown Donald R. Brown Nathan Caplan Alexander Eckstein Judy Epstein John P. Evans y Guskin id Gutmann old Jacobson k Levin Richard D. Mann Leon Mayhew Rhoads Murphey Robert Neff Gayl Ness Kenneth Organski Jerry Segal Robert Sklar Richa'rd Solomon- Robert Vinter Robert Weeks Albert Wheeler ROBERT KENNEDY CAN WIN. We hope you will join us in working to make this possible. WHAT CAN YOU DO: ---- , a .. . r t I LA N"I "M" A LU £PT. "r~r E UP IUAU .11\Pk .f r 1 .. Cam..I.J...-- .--7-- ' lllZ I A Lj...T v 7 A f VC\ 3\ C #3R3L V 0 A,iit ir, fs,ir n rii nrn tiVtP i