Antonio Joel Findlater, inadmissible to Canada because of his links to a notorious Calgary gang, the Clippers

Antonio Joel Findlater, who is in his mid-20s, was ordered out of the country after an Immigration and Refugee Board member found him inadmissible to Canada because of his links to a notorious Calgary gang, the Clippers.The deportation hearing also shed new light on the gang, whose membership was reportedly gutted during a massive Calgary police probe in 2007.Findlater was escorted by Canada Border Services Agency agents to the airport from the Calgary Remand Centre on Wednesday, said agency spokeswoman Lisa White."I can confirm that Antonio Findlater, a known member of the violent street gang the Clippers, was removed from Canada on Jan. 7,"White said Saturday.Findlater denied being a gang member, but was held in custody pending his removal because he was deemed a flight risk and danger to the public.A permanent resident of Canada since May 1997,he was one of 19 suspects swept up last year as part of a police operation that targeted the Clippers.At an Oct. 1, 2008 immigration hearing, Findlater was ordered deported after he was found inadmissible on the grounds of his connection to "organized criminality."During the hearing, Findlater's lawyer pointed out that the police evidence on his client's alleged gang affiliation was based, in part, on informants known to have made mistakes and who themselves had criminal backgrounds. There was also no affidavit evidence from court linking Findlater to gangs.Findlater had three convictions: theft under $5,000, possession of a weapon and uttering threats.In July 2006, court proceedings were stayed against Findlater, who had been charged with stabbing a man who was then shot at a dance in the northeast."I'm not a gang member, never been involved in organized crime," Findlater said in a detention review hearing.The lawyer for the federal government previously provided witness evidence that painted Findlater as a core Clipper gang member linked to violent events.In making his decision to deport Findlater, board member Paul Kyba said he accepted the evidence of gang links."Additionally, Mr. Findlater, through your involvement in weapons, illicit drugs and threats and intimidation, you did, in my opinion, engage in gang or organized crime activity," said Kyba.Police say they hope to use some of the strategies used in Findlater's hearing in their case against another alleged gangster, Jackie Tran.
"If (gang affiliation) is a contributing factor that actually made this happen, that's certainly something we've always said we need to explore," said Acting Staff Sgt. Gord Eiriksson.According to White, Calgary border service officers have removed 68 violent criminals in the past two years, including gang members, individuals on America's Most Wanted and other serious offenders.Removal of gang members on the basis of their organized crime links, though, is unusual, she said.Authorities didn't release Findlater's destination, though according to the hearing, the federal government "fully informed the Jamaican authorities of Mr. Findlater's current situation."Mount Royal College criminologist Doug King said the deportation sheds light on how important it is for all aspects of the justice system to flow smoothly in the fight against crime.

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