See video here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/15 ... 74000.html
An Edmonton teenager was arrested Saturday after grilling federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney during his speech at a Conservative party barbecue.
Bashir Mohamed, 17, said he bought tickets to legally attend the barbecue, which was held inside a hanger at the Alberta Aviation Museum for more than 400 Tories.
Mohamed and two friends with video cameras arrived with a plan to question Kenney about the recent government cuts to health-care coverage for refugees arriving in Canada.
The policy, announced in April and in effect as of Canada Day, prevents refugees from accessing prescription drug, dental and other extended health-care coverage unless they're covered by a federal program.
The cuts were made to extended coverage that most Canadians pay for or already have covered by insurance. The government expects the policy to save $100 million over the next five years.
"This has been in effect since Canada Day and right now a refugee cannot receive certain health care," Mohamed said. "The reason I chose this course of action is because the minister doesn't allow question and answer debates."
During the minister's speech, Mohamed interrupted with a planned speech of his own against the policy, but was quickly restrained and taken into custody by police.
"He made eye contact with me and he looked kind of scared," Mohamed said. "I couldn't even get past the first sentence when a guy came running up, put his hand on me and tried to shove me back."
Mohamed was hauled out of the hanger and into the hands of police who informed him he was being charged with assault by the man who restrained him, but the charges were dropped soon after.
On Twitter, Kenney responded to the incident: "I introduced myself to this young man before my speech but he didn't ask any questions or raise any concerns at the time."
He also tweeted, "When he began heckling, I offered to speak w/ him after the speech about his concerns. I spent 2 hrs chatting with folks @ the event."
Mohamed said he would have welcomed a private audience with Kenney, but his arrest made it impossible.
The cuts are drastic, Mohamed said, and will negatively effect Canada's ability to receive refugees. The cuts could also mean a greater strain on the health-care system if refugees show up in emergency rooms more often with advanced medical issues.
"If they have tuberculosis and they're coughing up blood, they'll be treated, but if they have heart disease, they won't be treated. If they have diabetes, they won't be given insulin. If a woman has pregnancy problems, she won't receive care unless it's a concern for public health," Mohamed said.
Mohamed, a refugee who came to Canada from Kenya with his parents in 1997, became a Canadian citizen last year. He will attend the University of Alberta in September to earn a degree in political science.
He has received both positive feedback from doctors across Canada for standing up to the policy, as well as negative criticism for his actions with one person even calling him "a terrorist." Mohamed said he will continue to seek an answer to his questions from Kenney.
"I'm still going to challenge the minister," Mohamed said. "If they're saying that the youth are disenfranchised, why are they scared of a 17-year-old boy? I challenge minister Kenney to debate this with me one-on-one."
