MP Jenny Kwan’s motion to address the differential treatment of refugees in different regions is being passed at the Immigration Committee.
CIMM MEDIA RELEASE: Extending special immigration measures to regions faced with humanitarian crises
CIMM MEDIA RELEASE: Extending special immigration measures to regions faced with humanitarian crises
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
Extending special immigration measures to regions faced with humanitarian crises
Canada is recognized for its historical leadership in humanitarian actions in the global community and we must also play our part now. Canadians stand in support of Ukrainians in the face of the devastating and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the Standing Committee for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship’s (CIMM) study of differential outcomes in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada decisions, while many of the witnesses noted their support for the special immigration measures to Ukraine nationals and want to see the government do everything it can to help those in need get to safety expeditiously; however, they also pointed out that they see a distinct difference in how people in different regions faced with an urgent humanitarian crisis are being treated. They are calling on the government to provide the same treatment and special immigration measures to the people of Ukraine to those regions.
As such, on April 5, 2022, the Standing Committee on Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees passed the following motion:
That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration issue a press release calling on the Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship to: a) extend the special immigration measures afforded to Ukrainian nationals to other regions faced with a humanitarian crisis such as Afghanistan, Yemen, Rohingya and Hong Kong, including the expansion of biometrics collection capabilities in neighbouring countries and the issuance Temporary Resident Permits and single journey travel documents to those without a passport; b) allow displaced persons in third countries, such as Afghans and other refugees in Ukrainian refugee camps, to seek refuge in Canada; c) waive the UNHCR refugee determination; and d) make available these measures to Afghans in Afghanistan.
Given that time is of the essence, and many people are in need of assistance, such as Afghans fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Committee calls on the Minister of Immigration to immediately act on the measures noted in the motion to ensure that Canada’s response to ongoing humanitarian crises in different regions are treated with the same vigor as Ukraine.
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When Pascal Sud and Meisha Smith prepared in January for the arrival of their first child, the choice seemed simple.
Smith would give birth in her home country of Jamaica where she had family support, and then they would together return to Montreal three months later.
At the time, the wait time for the citizenship certificate that their daughter, Sofianne, needed to fly back to Canada was between four and six weeks.
But more than eight months later, they're still waiting.
Sud is back at work in Montreal while Smith and Sofianne are still in Jamaica.
"It's been very frustrating," said Sud. "I was lucky to be there for three months … but I've been missing every step since, and it's been very difficult to be apart from them."
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is struggling to handle a flood of citizenship applications — many of them from a change to federal law late last year that allows anyone who can prove they have a Canadian ancestor to apply.
That backlog is preventing Canadians born abroad like Sofianne from coming home.
According to the department's most recent update on Sept. 3, there are 136,000 applications waiting to be processed. Those applying for a citizenship certificate now face a wait of 33 months.
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