MP Jenny Kwan Statement on the Federal Government Quietly Offering Settlement to Halt Lawsuits Over Parent Immigration Program
MP Jenny Kwan Statement on the Federal Government Quietly Offering Settlement to Halt Lawsuits Over Parent Immigration Program
On January 28, the IRCC website opened to accept Interest to Sponsor applications from family members wishing to apply for family reunification under the Parents/Grandparents Program. Within 7 minutes, the application process was shut down. 11 minutes after the application opened, IRCC announced via Twitter that the annual limit had been reached and the application was closed.
The media revealed that a number of individuals who were not able to submit an application to reunite with their loved ones under the parents/grandparents reunification process filled a lawsuit against the government. The Federal Liberal government then quietly settled with the litigants by offering them 70 coveted spots in the parents/grandparents sponsorship program.
The fact that the government quietly offered a side deal to 70 families who threatened to sue the Liberal government is indicative that the process is inherently flawed and unfair. With this side deal, the Minister is effectively telling Canadians that you have to take the government to court to be treated fairly. It should not have come to this. All families want to do is be reunited with their loved ones. They should not have to go through such pain and anguish to be with their parents or grandparents. They certainly should not have to threaten to sue the government. Our process should be one that is open, accountable and fair.
Sadly the Liberal government’s handling of this file has been deplorable from the beginning – whether it’s following the Conservative’s process that allowed people with resources to get in front of the line, or the Liberal’s process based on the luck of the draw lottery system, or this flawed and unfair online system, all have been a miserable failure.
It is time for the Liberals to do what is right: allow families to make their applications in a fair and orderly fashion by lifting the arbitrary cap on family reunification.
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August 7, 2026
New Democrats Renew Calls on Canada to Ban the RSS and Deny Entry to its Chief
OTTAWA —New Democrats are calling on the federal government to deny entry to the head of the fascist paramilitary organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Network (RSS) and are renewing past NDP calls on Canada to ban the RSS entirely.
NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson and NDP Immigration and Public Safety Critic Jenny Kwan today wrote to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Public Safety, and Immigration to urge action in advance of Mohan Bhagwat’s planned visit to Canada at the end of August.
“The RSS is an extremist group that advocates hate and violence towards religious minorities and marginalized in India and also engages in targeted intimidation of those who speak out against the organization in Canada,” said Heather McPherson, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic. “Multiple minority communities fear his presence in Canada could amplify hate and violence towards them and risk the safety of vulnerable individuals.”
In recent weeks, United Nations Human Rights experts have called on Canada to ensure members of the Sikh community are protected from violent threats by Hindutva extremist groups including the RSS.
“Canada must send a clear message that there is no place in this country for individuals who promote or enable hatred, violence, or intimidation against vulnerable communities or who are connected to activities that threaten Canada's security and democratic institutions. Pertinent sections of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act must be applied to protect Canadians and declare the IRSS and its members inadmissible,” said Jenny Kwan, NDP Critic for Public Safety and for Immigration.
New Democrats have long called on Canada to ban the RSS from Canada, place the RSS on the terrorist entities list, and impose sanctions on connected networks. Despite strong evidence of foreign interference and incitement to violence against Canadians, the Liberals have refused to take action on the RSS. Instead, in recent months the Carney government has grown closer to the Modi regime, causing members of several minority groups in Canada to say their safety no longer matters to the Liberal government.
On August 6, over 200 Canadian civil society organizations released a joint letter calling for Mohan Bhagwat to be denied entry to Canada.
