United opposition vs Refuge bill welcomed

United opposition vs Refuge bill welcomed

REFUGEE LAWYERS’ ASSN. OF ONTARIO

TORONTO–The Refugee Lawyers’ Association of Ontario (RLA) today, praised the three Opposition parties for taking a firm stand against Bill C-49, the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act, the Conservative government’s latest anti-refugee legislative proposal, after the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party announced that they, like the Bloc Quebecois, intended to vote to defeat the bill on second reading.

“It is heartening to see a majority of MPs taking a unified and principled stand in defence of refugees and human rights,” said RLA President Geraldine MacDonald. In doing so, the Opposition parties join the large and growing number of civil society groups and refugee law experts who had already been calling for the bill’s defeat. Most recently, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Bar Association made public statements opposing the bill.

Bill C-49 gives the Minister the power to designate for special punishment those who have fled their country by means of smugglers, even those ultimately found to be genuine refugees in Canada. They will be subject to mandatory detention with no chance of review for the first year after arrival, which is unreasonably harsh for victims of persecution, and is especially reprehensible because children would be included. Those designated by the Minister who are found to be refugees would be denied access to permanent residence for five years after decision and would also be unable to apply for a travel document for five years. Considering processing times, these provisions ensure that these refugees would remain separated from family members who remain in the home country for possibly 10 years or more, which is inhumane.

What is missing from the discussion coming from the government side is that the bill casts a wider net than smugglers and asylum-seekers, as there are provisions that can be used against persons who have nothing to do with smugglers and even those who already are permanent residents.

“This bill is a human rights travesty,” said Andrew Brouwer, “It directly contravenes both the Charter and international law, not to mention basic Canadian values of fairness, justice and compassion. Punishing refugees and asylum seekers – who often have no way to escape persecution other than resort to human smugglers – is not the answer.”

The RLA calls upon the Conservative government to listen to the voices of concerned Canadians and the majority of elected Parliamentarians, and withdraw the bill.

(PRESS RELEASE)