NDP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, told The Hill Times that the Sudanese family reunification is “deficient” and “extremely restrictive.”
She said the regime for Sudanese family members stands in contrast to the speed and size of the program to bring Ukrainians fleeing the war to Canada.
“Community members are rightfully pointing out the stark difference of the political decision of the government to facilitate special immigration measures from one country versus that of others,” Kwan said. “How is it that the government can come in with an arbitrary cap of 3,250? And then when we’re talking about the Ukrainian situation, there was no cap.”
“You have to question: why do some countries with conflict situations have caps and others don’t?”
Kwan, speaking to The Hill Times prior to the unveiling of the new immigration levels plan, said a reduction would exacerbate the situation.
“I am very worried about that—that the government will choose political expediency over lives,” she said.
After the release of the new plan, Kwan said in a statement that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Ont.) announced the changes thinking that “scapegoating newcomers will somehow turn his political fortunes around.”
