Robert Blatchford just wants his husband to be able to visit him in Canada while he tends to his terminally ill mother in Kelowna.

But Blatchford, a licenced practical nurse who is Canadian but who lived in Brazil with his Brazilian common-law partner prior to returning home in December to look after his mom, says his husband Rafael has been unsuccessful in getting a visitor害羞草研究所檚 visa from the Canadian government.

And he害羞草研究所檚 upset his local MP won害羞草研究所檛 help him by writing a letter of support.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very frustrating,害羞草研究所� said Blatchford, who said he approached Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas after being advised to do so by an immigration consultant he害羞草研究所檚 working with in Vancouver.

害羞草研究所淚 just want my hubby here before my mom passes away,害羞草研究所� said Blatchford, adding Rafael would not stay in Canada illegally after the visitor害羞草研究所檚 visa expires. 害羞草研究所淲e would never do anything illegal.害羞草研究所�

Blatchford said he plans to return to Brazil to live after his mom passes away as he is allowed to live in the country.

He said it has not been made clear to him why Rafael害羞草研究所檚 visa application was rejected by Canadian immigration officials in the first place. On the advice of the immigration consultant, he is seeking documentation from Immigration Canada that may explain why.

But he is angry Albas refused to help him by providing a letter of support.

Albas told the Capital News he could not talk about specific constituent situations because of confidentiality害羞草研究所攄espite Blatchford going public with his appeal and saying he would be okay with the MP speaking about his case.

Albas said he does not write letters of support for anyone in immigration cases. Instead, he said, his office offers information on the process and advice about what to do when dealing with immigration applications and how to make an application better.

He said he has been told by immigration officials that letters of support from MP害羞草研究所檚 do not do any good.

Instead, he says Blatchford should get letters of support from people who know him personally, or local officials like a mayors, doctors or a judge.

The local MP did say, however, that he does talk to the federal immigration minister from time to time to make him aware of how his constituents feel the system is working. And he confirmed he did that in Blatchford害羞草研究所檚 case.

But according to Albas, neither an MP nor the minister can overrule a Canadian immigration official once a ruling has been made about a person害羞草研究所檚 admissibility to Canada.

害羞草研究所淭hat rule is there for a reason,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭o stop political interference.害羞草研究所�

But Blatchford said he is not asking Albas to intercede on his behalf, just to write a letter of support for a constituent.

He said he also contacted Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr害羞草研究所檚 office and was told he had to deal with Albas as he is Blatchford害羞草研究所檚 MP. Blatchford lives in West Kelowna.

Once the provincial election is over, he said he plans to approach Christy Clark, if she is still his MLA and the premier for help, even though he realizes immigration is a federal matter.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just looking for somebody to help me,害羞草研究所� he said.

Blatchford said he is disappointed his MP won害羞草研究所檛 support his effort to get a visitor害羞草研究所檚 visa for his husband.

For his part, Albas said he is sympathetic and situations like this can be difficult when family members cannot come to Canada. But, he said his hands are tied.

Blatchford has also written to interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose asking her to talk to Albas about writing the letter of support.

In the meantime, he said it害羞草研究所檚 been difficult dealing with his mother害羞草研究所檚 illness, being out of work until recently, sending money back to Brazil and not seeing his husband.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been very difficult and I thought my MP would be able to help,害羞草研究所� said Blatchford.

The West Kelowna man originally went to Brazil to teach English in the early 2000s and met Rafael 3 1/2 years ago. They are considered to be in what Brazil calls a 害羞草研究所渟table union,害羞草研究所� akin to common law marriage in Canada.

Prior to her terminal diagnosis, Blatchford害羞草研究所檚 mom visited the pair in Brazil and got to know Rafael. So, Blatchford said it害羞草研究所檚 important to Rafael to be able to say good bye to his mother-in-law.

Blatchford last saw his husband, in person, in December, before he returned to Canada to be with his mom.

Since then, the pair have only been able to communicate via video link over the internet.