HANSARD: When will the government stop jailing people who are seeking safety and a better life?

Debates of May 6th, 2024
House of Commons Hansard #309 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Oral Questions

Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP

Mr. Speaker, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other advocates have called on the Liberals to end Canada's rights-violating immigration detention system. This system traumatizes people seeking safety.

Provinces have ended immigration detention in their jurisdictions. Instead of following their lead, the federal government plans to lock up migrants and asylum seekers in federal prisons. They also want to codify this practice into law. This is in violation of international human rights standards.

When will the government stop jailing people who are seeking safety and a better life?

Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety
Liberal

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate our hon. colleague's question. I share her concern that the rights of all individuals must be respected.

I think she will understand that there is a very small group of individuals, with perhaps violent criminal pasts or those who may be involved in terrorist activity, for whom releasing into the community would not be an acceptable option because of public safety. We worked for many years with the provinces that kept this very small group of individuals in the appropriate custody, and now we are going to take over our responsibility, while at the same time respecting their rights.

https://openparliament.ca/debates/2024/5/6/jenny-kwan-1/

HANSARD: When will the government stop jailing people who are seeking safety and a better life?

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