'Coming back to Canada, it's so good,' detained boy says

Last Updated: Friday, March 23, 2007 2:11 PM ET
CBC News
After six weeks eating canned food in a Texas detention centre, where Kevin Yourdkhani and his family were held for trying to fly back to Canada on doctored passports, munching on a burger and fries feels like home to the nine-year-old.
"Coming back to Canada, it's so good, nothing can change Canada to bad," the Canadian-born son of two Iranians said Friday in an interview with CBC Newsworld.
Kevin Yourdkhani is looking forward to going back to school.(CBC)
Kevin mused about his return to normal life and all he has to look forward to — fast food, "going back to school, finishing my education, getting a house," he said.
"The education [in the detention centre] is very low, we can do nothing. Every day we just go colouring, making pictures, doing nothing every day."
Kevin's parents arrived in Canada 10 years ago seeking asylum, but were unsuccessful and deported to Iran in December 2005, where they said they faced torture. Kevin was born when they lived in Canada.
When the family tried to return to Canada in February, their flight was diverted to the U.S. for a medical emergency. U.S. officials discovered that Kevin's parents had false passports, and the family was sent to an immigration holding centre in Austin, Texas. The conditions were atrocious, they said.
In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper written in crayon, Kevin had pleaded to be allowed home.
They got their wish two weeks ago when Immigration and Citizenship Minister Diane Finley granted them temporary residency, and the family finally returned to Toronto on Thursday.
Majid Yourdkhani, the boy's father, said he is confident the family will not be uprooted a second time.
"We are glad we are here today. We have lots of hope this time to stay here," he said. "We have no chance to go back."