A Pakistani immigrant, Yasir Baig, has been granted another opportunity to stay in Canada after being ordered deported 17 months ago. This decision follows his involvement in a deadly five-vehicle crash on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in Mississauga, Ontario, on January 27, 2018. The crash resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries, as noted in a recent Federal Court ruling.

Baig, who fled the scene of the accident but turned himself in to police 12 days later, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to dangerous driving causing death. He received a sentence of just under six months in jail and a 32-month driving ban. Following his conviction, Canada’s Immigration Division deemed him inadmissible due to serious criminality, issuing a removal order against him on May 17, 2024.

Seeking to maintain his permanent resident status, Baig appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) for special relief on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. However, the IAD initially denied his request, prompting Baig to seek a judicial review from the Federal Court.

Justice Anne Turley, in her ruling, identified two significant errors made by the IAD. She pointed out that the IAD did not adequately consider the Ontario Parole Board's assessment, which rated Baig as a very low risk to public safety. The parole board had determined that Baig posed a minimal risk of reoffending, using a specialized tool to evaluate recidivism risk.

Turley also criticized the IAD for failing to consider the potential impact on Baig's children if he were deported. Baig's wife testified that their family would return to Pakistan with him, which would create hardships for their children due to language barriers and a lack of educational resources. None of the children speak Urdu or Punjabi, and the twin boys, who were 15 at the time of the hearing, require special educational accommodations.

The crash occurred around 10 p.m. when Baig, angered by another driver flashing high beams, abruptly slowed his vehicle, causing a chain reaction that led to the collision. Seven individuals were hospitalized, including two women who sustained critical injuries. One of the women, 22-year-old Nicole Turcotte from Niagara Falls, later died from her injuries.

Baig, who became a permanent resident of Canada in 2008 through spousal sponsorship, has three children, all Canadian citizens. In August 2023, the Ontario Parole Board assessed his risk as manageable within the community. Baig expressed remorse for his actions and highlighted the lack of adequate medical care in Pakistan as a reason for his appeal.

In a decision made in January, the IAD found that Baig's circumstances did not meet the high threshold for humanitarian and compassionate relief, citing his minimal potential for rehabilitation. However, Turley deemed the IAD's decision unreasonable and ordered a redetermination of Baig's case, allowing him another chance to remain in Canada.