Where do Syrian refugees stand in the federal election?

While on the campaign trail, Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to resettle an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq over the next four years if re-elected in this fall’s federal election.

This is on top of the 10,000 his government announced in January would be resettled over the next three years.

Human rights organizations and refugee advocates have long been calling for the government to make such a commitment and should rightly be proud that their unrelenting persistence has been successful. Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) was part of this effort, writing to Immigration Minister Chris Alexander in June and October last year to urge him to respond to the UNHCR’s appeal to accept more Syrian refugees.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Harper also revealed that 1,002 Syrian refugees have so far been resettled from the January promise. It is heartening to see that the current government is indeed making good on its promise.

The NDP has called for the government to resettle 10,000 government-sponsored refugees by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has promised to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees if they are elected, although the time span of this process is unclear.

 Will only religious minorities be resettled?

One major issue of concern that must be addressed is the current government’s apparent intent to focus its resettlement efforts on religious minorities, a goal it first announced at the end of last year and reiterated with this latest election pledge. The term “religious minorities” in this case is generally understood to refer to Christians and Yazidis. While no one disputes that religious minorities are in need of protection, it is widely known that the majority of Syrian refugees are Muslim.

NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar lamented that such a move would mark a “[break] from the international community as well as Canada’s own tradition of accepting those most in need of protection, no matter their backgrounds.” Immigration critic for the Liberal Party, John McCallum expressed alarm over this proposal, saying it “violates basic Canadian values and is simply unacceptable.”

Additionally, faith groups, including CPJ and several private sponsors, have unequivocally expressed their disapproval of discrimination against refugees on religious grounds. It is our hope that the next elected government will heed these expressions of concern and adhere to the UNHCR’s guidelines for resettlement which clearly state that refugees should be chosen according to demonstrated need, not based on criteria such as religion.

What will be the role of private sponsors?

Another issue of concern is that private sponsors will be expected to resettle the majority of Syrian refugees to Canada, as was the case in 2013 when then immigration minister Jason Kenney announced that Canada would accept 1,300 Syrian refugees by the end of 2014. 1,100 of these, he said, would be privately sponsored, with the government taking responsibility for the remaining 200. No consultation took place with private sponsors beforehand to determine whether these numbers would actually be achievable.

Similarly, in his January pledge, immigration minister Chris Alexander announced that the 10,000 quota would be split between private sponsors and the government, 60 per cent to 40 per cent. Of those 1,002 resettled so far, 173 were sponsored by the government, 29 were shared between the government and private sector, and 800 were resettled by private sponsors alone. Judging by these numbers, the burden on private sponsors has been closer to 80 per cent, and again, they were not consulted regarding their capacities before Prime Minister Harper made his recent commitment to resettling an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq. Better communication between private sponsors and the federal government will be essential if Canada is to fulfill its resettlement promises.

What can citizens do to take part in the electoral process?

Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell famously said, “An election is no time to discuss serious issues.” In fact, an election is the most important time to discuss serious issues and bring them to the forefront. The Syrian crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time and it is crucial that whichever party forms the next government ensures that Canada does its part to accept more refugees.

Citizens have a fundamental role to play in this regard. As voters, we are in a powerful position to ensure that our leaders are listening. First, we must make sure that we are well-informed on the issues. To this end, CPJ has developed an election bulletin that explains in simple terms the most pressing issues facing refugees in Canada today. We encourage readers to consult this resource as a starting point for understanding these challenges. Getting involved in the political process and making your voice heard is one of the most important privileges and indeed, responsibilities, of citizenship.

What next?

In terms of living up to our international obligations, it is clear that progress is being made. However, there is room for improvement if we are going to see concrete results. More needs to be done if we are to return to our traditional humanitarian roots.

Source: European Commission DG ECHO (Flickr)