Now that the presents are unwrapped and the tryptophan is wearing off, it is fitting to reflect on the events that unfolded after the Nativity. As if giving birth in a barn wasn’t rough enough, Mary and Joseph soon faced a death threat against their son at the bidding of a sociopathic king. Upon divine counsel, they sought asylum in Egypt. God became a refugee. Read more »
For the last several years, changes to a refugee system described as ‘broken’ have been an important priority. With the current election and the potential changes it could bring, what better time to consider what all these ‘reforms’ have meant for refugee policy – and refugees – in Canada? Read more »
Our historically warm welcome for immigrants has become decidedly colder recently: Canada is welcoming those with money at the expense of reuniting families and helping refugees. We also rely more and more on Temporary Foreign Workers who aren’t even allowed to apply for residency.
Public justice demands that we do our part to welcome the stranger and take action to ensure that newcomers to our country are met with a warm welcome. Read more »
The numbers are out: in 2010 Canada let in the highest number of immigrants in over 50 years. But while Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney may use this as evidence of a clean bill of health for Canadian immigration policy, these numbers do not tell the whole story. Read more »
The recent tabling of Bill C-49, Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, ignited a fervent outcry against its punitive measures against refugees. However, the Act also raises bigger questions about politics in Canada and the measures used to get things accomplished. Is cooperation towards the common good possible? Read more »
Refugee policies are complicated, require sensitivity, and stir up much emotion. As a result, it is crucial that the public be involved in the development of such policies to provide various viewpoints and options. But with the recent refugee bill public debate was only held during the amendment process, not in the drafting of the legislation. Eventually all parties and many refugee advocacy organizations accepted the amendments, recognizing that there were some improvements, but still cautious about the prospects for future refugee cases. Read more »
Rebekah Sears looks at the proposed changes to the refugee system, questioning whether they emphasize Fast at the Expense of Fair? Rebekah notes several conditions the proposed changes need to meet in order to ensure the system remains fair. Read more »
MSF is bringing the tour to Montreal (May 20-23), Toronto (May 27-30) and Waterloo (June 3-6) in the coming weeks. I highly recommend taking the tour. See below for more details and links.
Since the 1970s, Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) has been working in crisis and emergency situations, providing care and helping those most vulnerable, including refugees and internally displaced people. MSF estimates that over 42 million people around the world have been uprooted by war, either as refugees or internally displaced persons.
By Rebekah Sears | Thursday, April 1st, 2010 - 11:31AM
0 comments
April 4 is Refugee Rights Day in Canada, when we commemorate the declaration by the Supreme Court in 1985 that the Charter of Rights of Freedoms is meant to protect the rights to liberty, personal security and justice of everyone in Canada, including refugees. This means that all refugee claimants are entitled to an oral hearing to make their case.
This year, Refugee Rights Day comes less than a week after Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announces major changes to Canada’s refugee and asylum system. In response to the rising number of asylum claims and the long waiting list Kenney has made changes, part of which is the proposal of a "safe country" list which will categorize applications.
False claims are a real concern, as is the daunting backlog of applicants, but is the categorization of refugee applicants by country a viable solution? What about the Supreme Court decision which emphasizes equal treatment? Read more »
By Rebekah Sears | Thursday, March 25th, 2010 - 3:52PM
1 comment
In Canada, our labour laws extend to all workers, both in the public and private sectors. These laws include the maintaining of proper and safe working conditions, and ensuring that complete wages are issued. All workers, be they citizens, permanent residents, immigrants or temporary foreign workers, documented and undocumented fall under this protection.
Unfortunately, despite our laws incidents of abuse, including the withholding of wages still occur in Canada, and often in connection with temporary foreign workers. Read more »
Now that the presents are unwrapped and the tryptophan is wearing off, it is fitting to reflect on the events that unfolded after the Nativity. As if giving birth in a barn wasn’t rough enough, Mary and Joseph soon faced a death threat against their son at the bidding of a sociopathic king. Upon divine counsel, they sought asylum in Egypt. God became a refugee. 
For the last several years, changes to a refugee system described as ‘broken’ have been an important priority. With the current election and the potential changes it could bring, what better time to consider what all these ‘reforms’ have meant for refugee policy – and refugees – in Canada? 
The numbers are out: in 2010 Canada let in the highest number of immigrants in over 50 years. But while Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney may use this as evidence of a clean bill of health for Canadian immigration policy, these numbers do not tell the whole story. 
The recent tabling of Bill C-49, Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, ignited a fervent outcry against its punitive measures against refugees. However, the Act also raises bigger questions about politics in Canada and the measures used to get things accomplished. Is cooperation towards the common good possible? 
Refugee policies are complicated, require sensitivity, and stir up much emotion. As a result, it is crucial that the public be involved in the development of such policies to provide various viewpoints and options. But with the recent refugee bill public debate was only held during the amendment process, not in the drafting of the legislation. Eventually all parties and many refugee advocacy organizations accepted the amendments, recognizing that there were some improvements, but still cautious about the prospects for future refugee cases. 
