After nearly 60 years in Canada, B.C. man faces deportation to the Netherlands

At age 59, Len Van Heestis facingdeportation to the Netherlands because of astring of crimes he admits he committed. But Van Heestdoesn't speak Dutch and doesn't know a soul in the land of his birth.

The Courtenay, B.C., mansaid his crimes werethe result of a severe mental illness he developed as a young man and is appealing to Canadian immigration officials to let him stay.

• B.C. man with criminal record faces deportation

"Well they've been trying to get me out and we've been fighting it and fighting it and fighting it, and we're down to our last breath now," VanHeestsaid in an interview withCHEKNews.

He's due to be deported March 6.

VanHeest moved to Canada with his parents when he was eight months oldbut never became a citizen. His mother said it was an oversight.

Long criminal record

As a teenager,Van Heest developed bipolar disorder.He has a long criminal record dating back to his teenage years, including convictions for uttering threats and threats with a weapon.

Van Heest is one of several cases in which immigrants face removal after the previous Conservative government toughened laws regarding the deportation of non-citizen criminals, his lawyer Peter Golden said in an earlier interview with CBC.

Previously, the deportation took effect if a person was sentenced to more than two years. The Conservatives reduced that threshold to six months and removed the right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division.

Van Heest's mother, Trixie, said her son has only distant relatives in Holland. His mental illness is under control now, but he has no support system in Holland.

Without her son in Canada, she said, "I wouldn't know what to do."

"I'm 81 years old," she said. "He's all I've got."

Seven years ago, immigration officials caught up with Van Heestand toldhim he was to be deported.

"I got a big envelope in the mail saying that because of my criminal record I could be deported and they've been hammering at me ever since," he said.

Ordered deported

Van Heesthas served ninemonths for assaultbut saidhe's in control of his mental illness now and doesn't drink or do drugs.

"I've paid my debt to society for the things I have done, you know.I've done my time.I've paid my debt, and now they're giving me a life sentence" he said.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May is familiar with the case and says Van Heestshould be allowed to stay in Canada.

On Thursday, she met briefly with Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen to ask both to take a second look at his case. They both agreed, May said.

She said nothing would be served by sending a mentally ill man to a country where he knows no one.

"The injustice of it bothers me enormously," May said in a phone interview. "This is someone who can function well with the support of friends and family.

"And he will have none of that, if we send him to the Netherlands."

Van Heest has a hearing Feb.28before a judge who will decide if he will get to make his case to the immigration ministeron compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

With files from CHEKTV and Dean Stoltz