Refugee Reform
PWRDF Response April 2010
The Canadian government recently proposed reforms to Canada’s refugee system. We welcome plans in the proposed legislation (Bill C-11) for an appeal based on the merits of a refugee’s case, a commitment to significantly decreasing the time refugee claimants wait for a hearing (the current average is 19 months), more resources being allocated to the system and an increase in the number of refugees being resettled to Canada from overseas, particularly through the private sponsorship program. The key to making these reforms successful is to do so without compromising justice for all refugees.
While applauding the positive steps proposed in Bill C-11, there are also areas that have raised concern with refugee advocates, such as the introduction of authority to designate safe countries of origin. A country may be safe for most of its citizens, but not for all. The proposed legislation would deny some claimants access to an appeal based on their nationality. A just system should provide all refugees with a fair hearing based on the facts of their individual case, no matter the country they come from or where they are making their refugee claim (either in Canada or overseas).
Other concerns with Bill C-11 include relying on civil servants as first-instance decision makers rather than fully independent board members, and barring claimants from applying for humanitarian and compassionate consideration.
Bill C-11 proposes an increase of 2000 privately sponsored refugees and 500 government sponsored refugees per year, to be phased in over the next few years. Refugees from overseas resettled to Canada through the private sponsorship program currently wait significantly longer on average than refugee applicants in Canada for their cases to be processed.
“Refugees selected for resettlement to Canada have often fled their homes because of unimaginable hardship and have, in many cases, been forced to live in refugee camps for many years.” (Citizenship and Immigration website, March 30 2010). For this reason the proposed increase in refugees being resettled from overseas should be implemented immediately, resulting in reduced waiting times for refugees who are living in precarious and often dangerous situations overseas. Private sponsors already have the financial resources and settlement support in place for the refugees they have committed to sponsor.
It is important that members of Parliament thoroughly study the bill before approving it in principle, and that input from the public is incorporated. We urge the government to embark on a thorough process of consultation on Bill C-11, and recommend that the bill be sent to committee for study before second reading in the House.
More Information
For more information regarding the proposed legislation please refer to the Canadian Council for Refugees website.