Charles City chamber leader forced to leave country

The president of the Charles City Chamber of Commerce is being forced to quit and return to Canada because his work permit has not been renewed. Graham Halliday came to the north central Iowa town from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to direct the Chamber of Commerce. Halliday says the process of getting his work permit renewed has been a “comedy of errors.” He says they tried last week to get and extension, but immigration officials turned him down.Halliday was hired in September 1999, but because of immigration problems, he did not arrive in Charles City until February 2000. Halliday feels saddened he could not continue after only being in Charles City less than a year. Halliday came to Iowa after being the general manager of the Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce and of the Prince Albert Regional Economic Development Authority. His temporary work permit expires next month, and he must return north of the border on February 2nd.