Emigrating British family turned away from Canada because their daughter, 7, is disabled

13 April 2012

They had sold their home, packed their bags and flown to Canada to embark on a new life.

Paul Chapman, his wife Barbara-Anne and their children Jack, 16, and Lucy, seven, were excited about setting up home on a two-acre plot in Nova Scotia.

But their dreams were shattered by an immigration official who announced they could not enter the country because Lucy has a disability.

Shattered dream: (Left to right) Jack, Paul, Lucy and Barbara-Anne Chapman

Shattered dream: (Left to right) Jack, Paul, Lucy and Barbara-Anne Chapman

The bombshell came when the family from Wokingham, Berkshire, handed their passports to a female guard at Halifax airport.

Mr Chapman, 42,said: 'She asked, "Why have you brought your daughter to this country?"

'I asked why I shouldn't and was told that because Lucy was disabled she had a lifetime ban.

Paid for: The house the Chapman family planned to move into in Nova Scotia

Paid for: The house the Chapman family planned to move into in Nova Scotia

'In 2008 a country as sophisticated as Canada was refusing my daughter entry because she is disabled.'

Paperwork handed to the family said that an individual could be refused entry if their health 'might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demands on health or social services'.

Left behind: Harvey the family dog plays outside the Nova Scotia home. Harvey has stayed in Canada

Left behind: Harvey the family dog plays outside the Nova Scotia home. Harvey has stayed in Canada

However, the Chapmans had taken advice from the Canadian authorities and arranged for temporary residency permits to be issued.

They arrived as tourists, expecting to pick up the permits within two weeks, and had been told Lucy's health would not be a stumbling block in such circumstances.

The Chapmans, both former Metropolitan Police officers, argue the regulations are irrelevant in any case.

The rules: The Chapmans say Lucy's genetic condition puts nobody at risk and does not require treatment

The rules: The Chapmans say Lucy's genetic condition puts nobody at risk and does not require treatment

They say Lucy, who has a rare genetic defect called Angelman syndrome which means she has a reduced mental age and cannot speak, requires no additional medical care or drugs.

Their dream was to set up a children's soft play centre business, and apply for permanent residency at a later date, having proved their daughter was no drain on health service resources.

Sold up: The Chapman's former family home in Wokingham, Berkshire was sold in preparation for the move, leaving them effectively homeless

Sold up: The Chapman's former family home in Wokingham, Berkshire was sold in preparation for the move, leaving them effectively homeless

Instead, they were allowed to stay in Canada for just 18 days. Last night, they were back in Britain and staying at a friend's house.

They have employed a Canadian lawyer to help them achieve entry.

A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada said: 'People with disabilities can come to Canada.

'They just have to follow the proper process, which includes ensuring the residency permit is in place before arriving in Canada.'

Plans: Paul Chapman and his daughter Lucy enjoy an earlier holiday in Oakland Park, Canada

Plans: Paul Chapman and his daughter Lucy enjoy an earlier holiday in Oakland Park, Canada

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in