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Calgary’s comedy scene is one of the most vibrant in the country.

But the close-knit community of comics is missing one of its brightest rising stars due to decidedly unfunny immigration woes.

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Doug Mutai was starting to make a name for himself within western Canadian comedy circles thanks to his clever and endearing observational humour. He performed well-received sets at the YYComedy Festival and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival before being sent back to his native Kenya a little more than a year ago.

“I was quite surprised actually,” Mutai says. “I have always done everything right by the immigration act and by general every day expectations. I thought I had done a good job of assimilating while still representing my heritage. So it was a complete shock and an eye opener that it’s possible to be wrong by merely existing.”

Mutai says he was denied permanent resident status because of a disagreement with Canadian authorities about his job history, even after Mutai submitted pay stubs and letters from his former supervisor and manager.