Kenny Lawler Suspension & RETURN!!

[Jesse]

Not sure of that.  There are expediting procedures when applying for almost anything in the gov't, Passports take moths but if you can prove need, you can pay to jump the line.  His job depends on this, and the jobs of others, so I could see it getting a little preferential treatment. 

On teh other hand, depending on how the initial issue was handled, getting any gov't offical PO'd at you is not going to make things smoother or faster...

I would have believed he'd get preferential treatment, it certainly seems like the team thought he would, but we're about 7 weeks in now so I don't think it went that way.

[blue_gold_84]

Lawler's employment - or anyone else's relative to it - is irrelevant here. He committed a criminal offense and for all intents and purposes, he's inadmissible to Canada as a non-resident.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility.html

That being said, the ideal option would be to issue him a temporary resident permit (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/temporary-resident-permits.html). He would have to demonstrate that his being granted entry into Canada as a temporary resident on a TRP would be beneficial and pose no risk to Canada, its citizenry/residents, and its socioeconomic wellbeing. And in the case of a DUI, it is deemed serious criminality. I can't imagine he'll get preferential treatment based on that.

A non-resident professional athlete no doubt brings benefit in multiple facets but the serious criminality issue makes the situation challenging and complex.

Giving timeframes on complicated matters is a bad look because reality rarely tends to coincide with presumptions made.

[Pigskin]

Not sure of that.  There are expediting procedures when applying for almost anything in the gov't, Passports take moths but if you can prove need, you can pay to jump the line.  His job depends on this, and the jobs of others, so I could see it getting a little preferential treatment. 

On teh other hand, depending on how the initial issue was handled, getting any gov't offical PO'd at you is not going to make things smoother or faster...

There are many people who want to work in Canada that are in the same position. The fact that it has taken this long, indicates that his case isn't getting any special attention.

[TBURGESS]

Doesn't Lawler just need a work permit or is that called temporary residence?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Doesn't Lawler just need a work permit or is that called temporary residence?

The law isn't my expertise but I believe he may not be eligible for a temporary work permit because of his DUI. What he probably therefore needs is a temporary resident permit. How it all works legally is definitely beyond my understanding.

[blue_gold_84]

Doesn't Lawler just need a work permit or is that called temporary residence?

EDIT: A work permit is a type of temporary resident travel document. Any foreign national who works or studies, accompanies a spouse/partner and/or parent/guardian who works or studies, or is a visitor for tourist purposes has, for all intents and purposes, temporary resident status while in Canada.

A work permit and a temporary resident permit are two separate documents with different parameters and purposes. A work permit is issued to an admissible non-resident seeking entry for the sole purpose of employment in Canada; a TRP is issued to any non-resident who's inadmissible and seeking entry under rare and unique circumstances regardless of the purpose (study, work, compassionate grounds, etc.).

The latter is issued after much deliberation by immigration officials who have to weigh the pros and cons of permitting entry to an inadmissible individual.

[Horseman]

What a mess, I don't recall any issues when Charlston Hughes got his impaired charge. I think the team suspended him for a game or two but that was it, no immigration issues that I recall.

[TecnoGenius]

One thing's for sure: Kenny's lawyer(s) suck.  Badly.  They should have navigated all of this and found Kenny the best path.  As as been pointed out, DUIs in the CFL are not rare.  There's about one every year.  Yet we've never seen anything like this before.  Ever.

It didn't have to be this way.  That's on Kenny, and his legal team.

At least this might serve as a wakeup call to any other booze-happy players thinking of driving.  I'm not trying to moralize, I don't need to: just look at what it does to your career and pocket book!  Can you imagine if Kenny isn't allowed back in and he just drank away $600k in 2 years??

[Waffler]

Isn't it just possible that the wheels of govt move a lot slower than they did before covid?  I am giving it 2 more weeks before getting upset. We would have the same record even with Lawler.

[BlueInCgy]

I have carried work visas in three countries.  It?s a crapshoot at the best of time even with a clean record.  I?ve had some issued in four days, some 6 months. Post COVID bureaucracy is generally worse as is service.  I?d bet Lawler doesn?t suit up this season.

[GOLDMEMBER]

I have carried work visas in three countries.  It?s a crapshoot at the best of time even with a clean record.  I?ve had some issued in four days, some 6 months. Post COVID bureaucracy is generally worse as is service.  I?d bet Lawler doesn?t suit up this season.

ugh!

[Tee42]

We need to move on from Lawler. He?s not coming back, just  like Medlock isn?t coming back.

[dd]

I have carried work visas in three countries.  It?s a crapshoot at the best of time even with a clean record.  I?ve had some issued in four days, some 6 months. Post COVID bureaucracy is generally worse as is service.  I?d bet Lawler doesn?t suit up this season.

i agree with you and have been saying that all along, and some people say we re guessing, no we re not, we re just looking st the situation for what it is and not looking through  blue tinted glasses.

[blue_gold_84]

There are plenty of individuals to blame for this situation, IMO.

And it reflects poorly on all of them.

EDIT: what I still cannot for the life of me understand is how he was able to play last season without issue. It's just baffling.

[Jesse]

There are plenty of individuals to blame for this situation, IMO.

And it reflects poorly on all of them.

EDIT: what I still cannot for the life of me understand is how he was able to play last season without issue. It's just baffling.

We know he didn't plead guilty until this year.