Mr. Speaker. an exceptional woman visited our Nations Capital last week. I am referring to Galina Barats. a Soviet Pentecostal Christian and former political prisoner who waited for 13 years to emigrate from the Soviet Union. She arrived in Canada a few weeks ago. However. our joy at Galinas arrival has been tempered by the sad fact that her husband and also former political prisoner. Vasily Barats still has not been allowed to emigrate. allegedly because of state secrets he learned over 15 years ago in the Soviet military. Today. Soviet officials are saying that "the emigration issue is being resolved." and indeed many long standing refusnik cases have been resolved. However. I was recently told by Soviet representatives at the Copenhagen CSCE Human Dimensions Meeting that Vasily Barats will still have to wait an additional 5 years beforebeing allowed to emigrate. Mr. Speaker. the recent NATO London communique states that: The Soviet Union has embarked on the long Journey toward a free society.
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emigrate emigration