[ Deepan ] Now I'm at the point where
I'm classified as stateless in Canada,
induced by Canada.
[ Narrator ] Deepan was born 
in Ottawa in1989.
In 2010, the government falsely claimed 
his parents were
employed by a foreign diplomat 
at the time of his birth.
They stripped his citizenship
and now are trying to deport him.
[ Deepan ] Well, I got in trouble with the law
when I was 19 years old.
And then once I went to 
Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre,
I got into an altercation with a guard
and I was thrown into segregation;
and when I was in segregation
a guard asked me if I was a citizen.
He basically profiled me based on my appearance,
and asked me if I'm a citizen.
I told him of course I'm a citizen,
I'm born in Canada.
Once I got out of segregation,
CBSA [Canada Border Services Agency] 
came to see me,
and said that I'm not considered a citizen.
I provided them a copy of my birth certificate
and a copy of my Canadian passport;
and they came back 2 weeks later
stating that I'm not a citizen.
I want to note that if 
you have a Canadian passport,
it goes to 3 different divisions 
before they even issue it,
and their job is solely to make sure
you are a Canadian citizen.
And then they just took it away arbitrarily,
no adjudicator, no judge, just stripped away.
Now I'm at a point where I'm classified as stateless.
And I was held at Toronto West Detention Centre
on immigration hold.
Once I was released I filed
an access to information request form.
That request form revealed that India
had already established and told CBSA
that they're not gonna be issuing me no documents,
as I'm not an Indian national,
6 months prior to me even going
to Toronto West Detention Centre.
So it just goes to show how far they will go.
They already had the information,
but yet they're intentionally trying to 
harm somebody by putting them in jail.
So I'm forced to live with a person that...
with my brother essentially,
because that's where CBSA
has approved my conditions to live.
If I want to live anywhere else,
I have to submit a request to CBSA,
CBSA has to approve it before I can move.
So I have a leash essentially, I'm like a dog.
CBSA has so much force 
coming to see if I'm there
- 5 officers, armed officers - 
to see if I'm there for curfew.
I find that completely ridiculous.
I was not allowed to go to school,
I was not allowed to do any training,
not allowed to do any volunteering.
For healthcare... I don't have 
any healthcare coverage;
if I want to get coverage for emergency purposes.
I have to get healthcare coverage insurance,
where there's only 2 insurance companies
in Canada that would actually cover me.
Which is quite expensive, thinking that...
I have a limitation of when I can work at times,
when I can and cannot work.
Overall, I don't have healthcare services
like any other individual.
I'm constantly campaigning,
constantly fighting for my rights, advocating
for myself, educating other individuals.
If they can say that they can
deport me out of this country,
that gives them the right 
to say that they can deport
someone else that's born in Canada 
out of this country,
as well back to their parents' homeland 
or their grandparents' homeland.
[ Narrator ] As Deepan fights on, the government
has introduced new ways to revoke citizenship.
The "Stealing Citizenship Act" 
legislates 2nd class citizenship;
and in certain circumstances, a single immigration 
officer can now strip citizenship from dual citizens.
[ Deepan ] It's an attack on Canada's identity.
And I always want to acknowledge the fact
that we are on un-ceded,
un-surrendered Algonquin territory,
but yet the state is now clearly stating
that it's their state,
and they have the ability to deport people
even though we are on stolen land.
