Press Releases

March 1, 2008

Visa Removal

The Honourable Diane Finley – Minister of Citizenship and Immigration – announced at the John Paul ll Centre in Mississauga Ontario - the removal of the Visa requirements for Polish citizens visiting Canada.  Thousands of people attended the announcement. 

KPK - Press 2The Canadian Polish Congress would like to congratulate and thank all of the people and organizations that signed the on-line petition, completed and mailed in the thousands of postcards, and who over the last few years have signed the hundreds of petitions to request the Government of Canada to remove the Visa requirement for Polish citizens visiting Canada.  Polonia have at last been successful in our endeavour and no longer will Polish citizens be required to apply for a visa when visiting Canada.

The Canadian Polish Congress would like to extend a special thank you to Prime Minister Harper and his government for their decision in this matter and also special thanks to Minister Diane Finley, and Minister Jason Kenny for their hard work and perseverance in helping to make this a reality.

KPK - Press 1KPK - Press 2KPK - Press 3

The following individuals and their organizations should also receive special recognition:

  • Jessie Flis - former Member of Parliament,
  • Peggy Nash - Member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park,
  • Joe Comartin - Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh.,
  • Borys Wrzesnewsky - Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre,
  • John Maloney – Member of Parliament for Welland,
  • Gregorz Sobotski, Alicija Rogacka, Lucien Conrad and the former Boards of Directors of KPK,
  • Robert Zawierucha and the Board of Directors of the Polish Alliance of Canada,
  • Chris Korwin-Kuczynski and the Toronto-Warsaw Friendship Committee,
  • Presidents of CPC Branches across Canada who kept the issue alive and promoted the petitions and lobbying effort,
  • Polish media across Canada who kept the issue alive and promoted the petitions and lobbying effort,
  • A. Matelski (webmaster) R. Gwiazdowski & HostVector (webhosting):
  • Piotr Ogrodzinski - Polish Ambassador to Canada whose assistance in applying diplomatic pressure and supporting Polonia in its efforts was crucial to our collective success.

The news release is posted on Polish Congress Webiste, as well as on Citizenship and Imigration Canada website under Press Releases.

The Congress has committed itself to the government of Canada to insure that visitors from Poland understand their obligations and will insure that the immigration system is not abused.

The Congress shall also continue to work with the Government of Canada and in particular the Minister of Immigration in any way that it can.

Thank you once agan for your support.