Humboldt Broncos crash driver attempts to avoid deportation after completing sentence

The driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash is working to avoid being deported from Canada after he completes his sentence, CP24 reports.

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu submitted paperwork to the Canadian Border Service Agency, which will ultimately decide his fate.

Sidhu's desire to remain in Canada has divided the families of the crash victims. Some have called for him to be deported after his reckless behaviour led to the deaths of 16 young hockey players, leaving another 13 injured, some of them for life.

"I know for a fact that he'll never drive a semi again. I know for a fact that if he could take back what happened that day he would in a heartbeat. He would trade places with any one of those boys," said Scott Thomas, who's 18-year-old son was killed in the crash.

Meanwhile Michelle Straschnitzki, whose son was paralyzed in the crash, argues that "there’s 29 people who don’t get to have a fresh, new life and because of his negligence—which is putting it lightly." He believes that Sidhu should be deported for his actions.

Sidhu pleaded guilty for dangerous driving causing death after he was charged for his role in the crash. He had missed a stop sign while driving through rural Saskatchewan in April of 2018. He drove straight through the stop sign into the bus carrying the hockey players. Sidhu received an eight-year sentence for the incident, with reports suggesting that he feels very remorseful.

Criminal convictions over six months typically require deportation for non-citizens, but immigration lawyers suggest there may be ways for Sidhu to remain in the country.

"It's very difficult to say how it's going to go, but I do think this is one of those types of cases where [border services] could choose to exercise their discretion," said Vancouver immigration lawyer Erica Olmstead. Sidhu's lawyer, Michael Greene, has suggested that given Sidhu's education, fluency in English, remorse, and lack of criminal record, he has a better chance of staying in Canada.

Ultimately, if the Immigration and Refugee Board moves to deport Sidhu, he would not be able to appeal the decision due to the length of his sentence.