MAN BEING DEPORTED AFTER 52 YEARS IN CANADA

WINNIPEG - A 53-year-old man who came to Canada as a baby expects to
be deported to England by the end of the month because of a drug conviction.

Scott Tyler of Winnipeg doesn't know anyone in England, and hasn't
been to the country since his parents moved to Canada when he was six
months old.

Though he knew he was a landed immigrant, Tyler never thought he
needed to obtain Canadian citizenship to stay in the country. For
years he worked as a truck driver and paid income taxes just like his
neighbours.

"As far as I was concerned, I was Canadian," he said this week. "It
didn't really hit me until I got [a letter] from Immigration Canada,
and they said they had grounds to deport me."

In 1999, Tyler became a drug addict. Two years later, he was arrested
and convicted of possession and trafficking cocaine. He spent three
months in jail.

Because of that conviction, he's being deported back to
England.

Tyler admits he made mistakes, but he said he's been living a clean
life for the past six years and he should be allowed to stay in Canada.

"They've changed the laws that any violent crime whatsoever is
deportation," he said. "What I don't understand about all of this is
how is possession of a narcotic considered to be a violent crime? Why
do they think I'm a danger to society?"

Officials with Immigration Canada say they cannot comment on this
specific case, but spokesperson John Nychek said the government does
take drug offences seriously.

"I am not sure I think one should look at it as 'just' being a drug
trafficking conviction," he said.

Tyler has exhausted all his options to appeal his case, short of
winning an intervention from Immigration Minister Joe Volpe.

Since he's out of work, he says he can't afford a lawyer to try to
delay the deportation.