CANADA MONITORS SUSPICIOUS VESSEL

(Stewart Bell, National Post)

Canadian authorities are monitoring a Thai cargo ship after reports it may be on its way to the British Columbia coast with more than 200 migrants on board. The MV Sun Sea was last spotted in the Gulf of Thailand, where it was the subject of a lookout issued by the Philippine Coast Guard, which called it "a suspected people-smuggling vessel." On the weekend, Colombo's Sunday Observer newspaper reported that while the 59-metre vessel was originally headed for Australia it was now sailing toward the Canadian coast.

The office of Jason Kenney, the Minister of Immigration, is following the case. "This could end up being a prime example of individuals trying to take advantage of our generous immigration system," said Celyeste Power, the Minister's spokeswoman.

The Department of Foreign Affairs also said it was "aware of press reports suggesting that a vessel has departed Southeast Asian waters and may be destined for Canada," and vowed to prosecute anyone caught smuggling human cargo.

"Please note that those responsible for migrant smuggling will be pursued, investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of Canadian law and in accordance with the provisions of international conventions and protocols," said Alain Cacchione, a Foreign Affairs spokesman.

The Canadian government has been keeping a watch on the Sun Sea (formerly the Harin Panich 19) since early May when, in partnership with Australia, it asked the Thai government to board two vessels allegedly preparing to ferry migrants to Canada or Australia.

But a spokesman at the Thai embassy in Ottawa said he could not verify the searches ever occurred and the Sun Sea was last seen on May 17, 50 kilometres off the coast of southern Thailand, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Sun Sea is roughly the same size as the Ocean Lady, a ship that arrived off the B.C. coast last October carrying 76 Sri Lankan migrants. All were released from custody and most made their way to Toronto, the hub of Canada's large Sri Lankan Tamil community.

Since then, rumours have swirled in Toronto that more ships were on the way. The Sun Sea passengers are from Sri Lanka, where a civil war between government forces and the separatist Tamil Tigers rebels ended just over a year ago, the Sunday Observer reported.

But David Poopalapillai, the Canadian Tamil Congress spokesman, said he knew nothing about the ship and cautioned that the Sunday Observer is a state-owned newspaper.

"We haven't heard any news, but there are a lot of ships off-loading off Australian waters," Mr. Poopalapillai said. He discouraged migrants from resorting to smuggling ships, which are often unseaworthy and sometimes deadly. "We advise our people not to take these treacherous voyages."

Canadian police and immigration officials have been working with their Southeast Asian counterparts to disrupt migrant smuggling operations at their ports of origin. Federal lawyers have advised the government that once migrant smuggling vessels are in international waters, they cannot be forcibly turned back.

"The government of Canada's strategic approach with respect to migrant vessels includes efforts abroad that involve stopping illegal migrant smuggling ships that are destined for Canada at their points of departure," Mr. Cacchione said.

If the Sun Sea does make the weeks-long journey across the Pacific Ocean, it would likely be intercepted and boarded by the navy once it enters Canadian waters. It would then be brought to Vancouver Island, where the Immigration and Refugee Board would process those on board.

But unlike last year's arrivals, any asylum seekers would be subject to Canada's new streamlined refugee system, which came into effect last month. "If this boat was to arrive in Canada, then our new system would ensure that fast and fair decisions are made to either provide these individuals with protection or dismiss their claims in a timely manner," Ms. Power said.

"Our government is committed to cracking down on bogus refugees while providing protection to those that truly need our help."

She said new procedures "will ensure that we maintain the integrity of our immigration system without putting a burden on Canadian taxpayers."

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a three-member panel last week to advise him on allegations that war crimes were committed during the final stage of the civil war. The government has refused to co-operate with a war-crimes probe.