With her husband trapped in Gaza, this St. John's woman is pleading for a quick evacuation
Alexandria Alden is calling for urgency from IRCC
A St. John's woman says she doesn't know how long she'll have to wait for the Canadian government to approve her husband's permanent residency.
But her anxiety isn't just newlywed angst: every moment the couple is separated, her husband remains in grave danger.
Alexandria and Diab Alden have an online relationship, but after over a year of immigration turmoil, they still have no idea when they will unite in person. For now, they video call everyday.
"It almost feels normal until ... you hear an artillery shell [explode] outside. And then I'm like, oh yeah, this isn't like a normal long-distance relationship," said Alexandria Alden.
Diab Alden, a lawyer, was displaced from his home at the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas in 2023. Alexandria Alden says he faces danger daily, and has encountered artillery shells at aid distribution points.
Gaza currently has a limited aid supply. And when food and essentials do get in, Palestinians risk their lives to access it. Hundreds have been killed trying to reach distribution sites.
Alden says her husband started the process of trying to evacuate Gaza in May 2024, several months after they began their relationship.
The couple wanted to get married in person, said Alden, but by May of this year they decided to have a proxy marriage, where she granted another person power of attorney to sign the marriage contract.
In order to evacuate Gaza, Alden says her husband needs a travel document, which he can only receive by applying for permanent residency in Canada. Alden says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed it received his application on June 1, but the pair currently have no idea if or when his application will be accepted.
Alden says St. John's-East MP Joanne Thompson has sent an urgent request to the federal government on her behalf. Thompson declined to do an interview or provide comment to CBC.
CBC viewed an email from Thompson to Alden stating that she has been in contact with the IRCC and that the application is under the urgent processing category.
In a statement to CBC, IRCC spokesperson Jeffrey MacDonald said Gazans can apply through Canada's existing immigration programs, including permanent residency.
"All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and applicants must meet the admissibility and eligibility requirements as set out in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act," wrote MacDonald.
MacDonald also says processing time can vary, and depend on how quickly applicants can respond to requests for biometrics and other information.
However, MacDonald notes that the Rafah border has been closed since May 2024, which has made getting out of Gaza difficult.
"In response to the situation in Gaza, our priority has been to reunite families and provide a temporary safe haven for Palestinians directly affected by the crisis in Gaza who have family members in Canada willing to support them," said MacDonald.
While she waits for a response to her husband's application, Alden says she can't fall apart.
"I'm kind of like an anchor of hope right now," she said.
CBC spoke to Diab Alden over video call for this story. He responded with text messages due to language barriers. Alden says he has loved learning about the province's nature and people through conversations with his wife.
"I observed the people's interactions and it became clear that they are kind and act kindly. I also found that they sympathize with Palestine," wrote Diab Alden, translated from Arabic.
Emergency visa programs criticized
At first, Alexandria Alden says the couple looked into Canada's temporary resident visa program, but it required him to have a relative in Canada.
"Because we were married by proxy we weren't accepted into the program," said Alden.
Canada's temporary residency program for Palestinians has received criticism for having stricter requirements than other programs.
Alden says she was shocked to find out that other countries had fewer requirements to obtain temporary visas in Canada.
Canada initially only allowed 1,000 Palestinians to come through the program, while the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel program has an unlimited cap.
MacDonald says the program eventually expanded to a 5,000-person limit, which has now been reached.
The temporary visa program for Palestinians has also been criticized for requiring refugees to have an "anchor relative" in Canada to guarantee financial support, something the Ukrainian program did not require.
"It feels like a letdown too, as a Canadian citizen that was born here and raised on Canadian values of 'we're peacekeepers' and 'we help other countries,' despite our own history of colonization," said Alden.
Alden started an online petition demanding urgency.
"He lives under the constant threat of air strikes, starvation and displacement, with no safe way out. I am begging you for help," wrote Alden in the petition letter. "Please sign and share our petition and help bring his voice to those in power."
Now that the petition has over 680 signatures, Alden hopes the government will pay attention.
For now, Alden is "calling out to anybody that can help," she said, "because right now [we're] still just kind of in a sea of trying to find an answer."
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