Tamil-Canadian Ramani Balendra knows first-hand the desperate situation faced by refugees from her native Sri Lanka. Since the arrival of many Tamils by sea to Canada, Balendra sees the federal government taking a harsher stance with migrants fleeing violence and racial discrimination abroad. Her work with the South Asian Women's Community Centre in Montreal and Tamil diaspora in Canada makes her a strong advocate for the release of the MV Sun Sea migrants being held in detention in B.C.