Canadian Public Safety Minister defends having penned letter in support of terrorist

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Monday that he was fulfilling his duties as a Member of Parliament when he submitted letters supporting the immigration case of a man linked to a terrorist organization. Speaking to reporters for the first time about the scandal, Anandasangaree downplayed the controversy, calling it part of the regular work expected of MPs.

“One of the major responsibilities of any Member of Parliament, anyone elected, is provision of services to individuals seeking help from our offices,” he said at an event in Toronto. “So this is part and parcel of the work that every Member of Parliament does… I was executing my duties as a Member of Parliament.”

Anandasangaree has represented a Toronto-area riding since 2015 and was appointed public safety minister by Prime Minister Mark Carney in May. His portfolio includes oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Concerns about his prior involvement surfaced after Global News reported that Anandasangaree had previously written to CBSA asking it to approve the permanent residency of Senthuran Selvakumaran, a Sri Lankan national who the agency identified as a former member of the Tamil Tigers.

The Tamil Tigers, formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, are listed as a terrorist group by Canada and have been since 2006. CBSA officials had repeatedly denied Selvakumaran’s immigration attempts due to his admitted links to the group. He later retracted his statements, claiming they were based on poor legal advice.

Selvakumaran has been attempting to join his wife in Toronto since 2005. The final support letter from Anandasangaree was sent just before he joined cabinet in 2023. On July 9, a Federal Court judge upheld CBSA’s decision, citing national security concerns.

Anandasangaree said the letters were written “in the context of an individual, Canadian citizen, who is seeking to reunite with her husband.” He stated his office has managed over 9,500 constituent files involving immigration and other issues.

He said that MPs are allowed to advocate in such cases, but noted: “I have instructed my office not to issue support letters of that nature because ultimately the decision will be coming to me,” he said.

Last month, Anandasangaree recused himself from government decisions related to the Tamil Tigers and the World Tamil Movement.

Sheryl Saperia, CEO of Secure Canada, criticized the minister’s involvement. “No MPs should intervene on behalf of someone the CBSA has found to be a member and on the payroll of a terror group, period,” she said. Saperia also dismissed the minister’s appeal to the emotional hardship of separation, calling it a “ridiculous argument.”