This complex documentary follows a handful of US veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who seek refuge in Canada following their refusal to be re-deployed. They all view the wars in the Middle East to be unjust and inhumane and refuse the call of duty.
Dubbed ‘resisters,' these veterans face an interesting immigration dilemma. Canada has a history of siding with American dissenters going back to World War I, where thousands of young men streamed across the border to enlist in the Canadian armed forces to fight in Europe. This was reversed during the Vietnam War when thousands of young men fled across the border to avoid conscription into an unjust war.
While the Canadian government accepted and protected these war resisters in the past, government officials won’t give the Iraq war resisters the time of day. Peace has no Borders follows a handful of these former soldiers as they struggle to find the assistance they need on either side of the border.
As someone who follows the plight of Haitian and Central American immigrants at America’s Southern border, I have mixed feelings about this documentary. The resisters’ immigration challenge seems less a structural injustice and more a lack of forethought, as they repeatedly apply for refugee status and are denied.
Unlike other refugees who languish in facilities similar to prisons while they await a decision, the war resisters live a typical middle-class life in Canada. I share many of the anti-war views stated in this documentary. However, I can’t help feeling like these folks are just trying to avoid the consequences of their actions.
In Vietnam and other conflicts, the American government instituted a mandatory draft, leading the Canadian government to allow many former US soldiers to seek refugee status. The war resisters in Peace Has No Borders, however, are volunteer soldiers. They knew when they originally dissented that there would be relatively small consequences when compared to other minor offenses under US law. This makes the tear-jerking segments of the documentary fall flat: However unjust, this is not a scenario where someone can have their cake and eat it too.
The documentary itself is interesting: We have a front-row seat for continued government inaction and the general uncaring attitude of many politicians toward their constituents. Those interested in the war resisters themselves, Canadian politics, and the history of the Iraq War will find the most interest in this title, while patrons seeking titles about immigration will be less satisfied. Recommended.
What kind of teachers would be interested in this title?
While some law professors may find the resisters’ legal battle useful for classroom instruction, I cannot see a lot of demand for this title in the classroom.
Where does this title belong on library shelves?
Peace Has No Borders belongs on legal, war, and general documentary shelves.
What is the retail price and/or Public Performance License fee?
Public Performance Fee: $100.00