Efforts continue to keep Venezuelan family in Kindersley

An online petition drive continued Tuesday in support of a Venezuelan family living in a Saskatchewan town.

Wilmer Gonzalez along with his wife and two children have one month to leave Canada after his work visa expired and wasn’t renewed.

With the clock ticking, people in the town of Kindersley have taken up the family’s cause.

An online petition was at just over 600 signatures as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Kindersley’s Janet Dewey spoke out Tuesday on Saskatchewan Afternoon with David Kirton.

She said she met the family about three years ago while volunteering with a group that helps newcomers.

She said the Gonzalezs first came to get help adjusting to life on the Canadian Prairies, but quickly became active volunteers themselves.

“Anything that’s going on in the community, they’ve jumped right to it, and they’ll be the first volunteers that will help out,” she said.

Dewey said she hoped immigration authorities would hear the hundreds of pleas to keep the Gonzalez family in town.

“I think it’s a crime that they would not push these people through, because they’re model Canadians,” she said.

Kindersley mayor Rod Perkins said he’s heard from plenty of residents who want the family to stay.

“Most certainly, I think in Kindersley here it’s become pretty well known how community-minded they are and how much they want to be here.”

Perkins said he’s been in contact with local MP Gerry Ritz about the file, and has been told that the Gonzalez’s case has been brought to the attention of Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.