Globe & Mail: Immigration Minister says Palestinians will not be sent back to Gaza if visas expire

Palestinians in Canada will not be sent back to Gaza if their visas expire while the war between Israel and Hamas rages, Immigration Minister Marc Miller told a Commons committee on Tuesday.

He was responding to questioning from NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan who asked the minister whether he would extend the visas of Palestinians in Canada so they are not sent back to Gaza during the war once they expire.

“We can do that. We can extend the visas,” Mr. Miller replied in a hearing before the Commons immigration committee.

To read the full news story:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-immigration-minister-says-palestinians-will-not-be-sent-back-to-gaza/#:~:text=Palestinians in Canada will not,a Commons committee on Tuesday

Palestinians in Canada will not be sent back to Gaza if their visas expire while the war between Israel and Hamas rages, Immigration Minister Marc Miller told a Commons committee on Tuesday.

Mr. Miller also told MPs on the committee that he has asked his team at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada “to be as flexible as it can” when it comes to allowing family members in Gaza to join their relatives here under reunification schemes.

He was responding to questioning from NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan who asked the minister whether he would extend the visas of Palestinians in Canada so they are not sent back to Gaza during the war once they expire.

“We can do that. We can extend the visas,” Mr. Miller replied in a hearing before the Commons immigration committee.

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Ms. Kwan asked Mr. Miller if, in light of the crisis, his department could also speed up the processing of applications from Palestinians living in Canada for family members from Gaza to join them here. She said applications were made before the war but anxious Canadian residents with family in Gaza are still waiting for a response.

Mr. Miller said he understood the worry “about loved ones in Gaza” and said he has asked officials to expedite files and “be as flexible as it can” when it comes to uniting family members.

But he said it was very difficult to operate in Gaza currently, although Ottawa was “doing its utmost to safeguard Canadians and family members” there.

Ms. Kwan suggested that residents of Gaza should be treated in the same way as Ukrainians who have been allowed to come to Canada during the war with Russia, saying it “is not any different.”

The Immigration Minister also heard concerns that Afghans living under the Taliban who are trying to escape the impoverished country risk being forgotten with wars raging in other parts of the world.

Mr. Miller said Canada is close to welcoming the 40,000 Afghans it had promised to resettle. But he pledged Ottawa would not close the doors to more Afghans once the target had been reached.

“The taps will not be shut off at 40,000,” he said.

Mr. Miller said addressing issues affecting international students, including education agents giving them false hope that studying in Canada was a certain route to permanent residence, was one of his top priorities since taking on the portfolio in the cabinet shuffle this summer.

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Public Forum: The No More Loopholes Act: Canada's Arms Exports and Human Rights Violation

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation by all Members of Parliament.
On January 30, join CCMS for a discussion with Jenny Kwan, Adel Iskandar, and Rachel Small, moderated by Am Johal, regarding the No More Loopholes Act.

January 30 | 4 PM
SFU Downtown Vancouver Campus | Harbour Centre | Room 2270
515 W Hastings Street, Vancouver

Bill C-233, the No More Loopholes Act, is a private member’s bill put forward by Vancouver-East MP Jenny Kwan in September 2025 to press Canada to abide by the Arms Trade Treaty that it signed in 2019. Currently arms exported to the US are exempted and have ended up being used by Israel in Gaza, by Saudia Arabia in Yemen and many other places. The private member’s bill will be voted on in Parliament at Second Reading in late-February.

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation.
Speakers:

Adel Iskandar, Director, CCMS
Jenny Kwan, MP, Vancouver-East
Alex Neve, Former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada and 2025 Massey Lecturer
Rachel Small, World Without War
Moderated by Am Johal

Click image or link to reserve a spot - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-no-more-loopholes-act-canadas-arms-exports-and-human-rights-violation-tickets-1975666448531?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=112d4ub6_gcl_auOTAyNjk5MDQ3LjE3NjkxMjM3NjM._gaMTg3NjM2OTUzNy4xNzY5MTIzNzYz_ga_R4BCVYL1QF*czE3NjkxMjM3NjMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjkxMjM3NzYkajQ3JGwwJGgw

Open Letter: Continue funding for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

CBC: NDP MPs hear local concerns as caucus meeting gets underway in Nunavut

The temperature, though relatively mild for the Kivalliq region in January, also caught some of the NDP's Vancouver MPs a bit off guard.

"The minute you came out of the plane you felt immediately the difference between communities," said Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan. "The wind, the cold was something that I have never experienced in all of my life."

Rankin Inlet Mayor Harry Towtongie said it's good to see southern politicians get a taste of the issues his community faces.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ndp-mps-hear-local-concerns-as-caucus-meeting-gets-underway-in-nunavut-9.7054586