Claimed refugee status in Vancouver
A Chinese man in his early 20s boarded a plane in Hong Kong and took off for Vancouver, apparently without a passport. He was dressed in a silicone mask and professional make-up that disguised him as an elderly Caucasian male. Passengers said they had been suspicious of his youthful hands and were amazed when he exited the plane’s washroom as a young Asian person. The man had switched boarding passes with a man in his fifties, but apparently not until after he had gone through security. He had no I.D., except for an Aeroplan card, but was not stopped at the gate. The man claimed refugee status when he was met by Canadian Border Services officials in Vancouver upon landing on Oct. 29.