stats. barred; out of country; etc.

Hello everyone!  Wow it sure seems like a lot of people are struggling with loan problems.  I am not surprised, however!

Anyways I have a few questions that need to be answered about my student loans...

A bit of background info first: Currently I reside outside the country in Europe.  I am a dual-citizen.  My last address in Canada was in BC at my parents place. I have student loans and credit card debt.  However, I cannot pay my debts because my living expenses in my new country take all my money and I cannot put forward any more money to my debts in Canada.  I go into repayment of student loans at the end of this November 2004.  I barely make ends meet in my new home as it is and cannot afford to pay a cent anymore to my Canadian debts.  I feel very bad about this but that is my financial situation.

Now the questions:
1.  if i go into default on my student loans or credit card debt, can the collection agencies call my family or friends to determine where I am?  Is my family or friends obligated BY LAW to provide them with my new phone number and address? How many times can they call my family before it is considered harressment?  I do not want to have my family go through dealing with collections all the time!!

2. from what i understand about stats. barred, after the six year period of no payment, acknowledgment of loans etc.  my loans are not dissolved but rather "set aside".  Okay, so the feds can take away future GST rebates, income tax refunds. But can they garnish CPP or OAS to pay for loans (or any other govt program) if I was to move back to Canada at some later point in time?

3. i was reading on the BC Attorney Gen. website that the province can take you to court for defaulted loans. If collections takes legal action against me to collect my debts, how can they collect if I am not living in the country?  From what I understand a Warrent for Arrest can be issued if I fail to show for a court summons: is that a criminal matter now and am I a fugitive with a criminal record?? If I come back to Canada to visit, will I be arrested at the border for a no-show and am I able to travel freely in and out of the country as the Charter of Rights says?? Is my arrrest warrant on INTERPOL, CSIS, FBI, RCMP, etc.? There is a 12 month limitation period for the arrest warrant: after that period can the court issue another warrant for me and so on and so on??

4. Lets say after several years I move back to Canada. I make make money and have an income tax refund coming to me but I am in stats barred status: if the feds put my tax refund towards the default loan is that considered acknowledgment of payment and a new cycle of 6 year statute of limitations takes affect with collections harressing me  once again?

5. is it best to claim bankruptcy first then not pay a penny for anything? 

6. are there any international treaties whereby a collections agency or fed/prov dept can contact my new home country demanding repayment or extradition in the case of an arrest warrant?  Can my Canadian bank demand money from my European bank?  Can I have my wages garnished in Europe for debts that arose in Canada?

I really need some info on these questions.  Please post a response for me as soon as possible.  Thank you all for the great insite I have gained thus far!  I know some of these questions may sound ridiculous but debt and warrants for arrest etc. are a very serious matter and I do not want to jeopordize myself.

Sincerely,
Dually - living across the big pond.