Humanitarian, Refugees and Foreign Affairs

We live in an interconnected world, and events transpiring worldwide ultimately affects Canadians, whether we are speaking about economic trade, global prices of goods and commodities, knowledge and skills exchange, effects of climate change, disease transmission and control, natural disaster management, and others. Fulfilling our international obligations protects and serves the interests of Canadians.

People fleeing war, persecution or natural disasters face tremendous barriers to obtaining necessary travel documents. For this reason, I have been advocating for visa-free travel for urgent, life-and-death situations such as the war in Ukraine. I have also been advocating for the government to rescind the safe third country agreement because often, refugees cannot get to safety without first going to a third country. It is paramount that Canada has an adequately resourced immigration system that can act with flexibility and expediency in times of crisis without compromising national security standards.

As your Member of Parliament, I will fight to ensure Canada fulfills its humanitarian and environmental obligations as a member of the international community.

Can Man VIDEO: Jenny Kwan Slams Both Liberals and Conservatives

Veteran Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan joins CanMen for an in-depth conversation about the future of Canada’s immigration system, the direction of the Carney government, and the growing political divide over immigration. In this exclusive interview, Jenny Kwan shares her views on the Liberal government’s immigration policies, the Conservative Party’s approach, parliamentary accountability, and why she believes Canada’s immigration system needs urgent reform. We also discuss:

• The future of Canada’s immigration policies
• The Hong Kong Pathway and its ongoing challenges
• Immigration processing delays and backlogs
• Government accountability and transparency
• The role of Parliament under Prime Minister Mark Carney
• What these issues mean for newcomers and Canadians alike

Whether you’re interested in Canadian politics, immigration, or public policy, this interview provides valuable insight into one of the country’s most important national conversations.

*Click image or link to watch the interview video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gno10aLlxZc

HOUSE VIDEO: Questions Immigration Minister Diab on Immigration File

Getting clear data out of this Immigration Minister is like pulling teeth.

During committee, I asked simple, direct questions about the Safe Third Country Agreement and our immigration backlogs. Instead of transparency, we got non-answers, canned talking points, and a complete evasion of the facts.

If you can't manage your own file or answer basic questions about it, you shouldn't be running the department. No wonder MPs are calling for her to resign.

*Click image or link to watch the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtqqAfC8Bqk&t=55s

City News: Demonstrators hold rally for Hong Kong residents facing PR processing backlog

The rally is organized by the Hong Kong Pathway Alliance. Similar events are also taking place in Calgary and Toronto.

The pathway allows eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada, including people who studied or worked here, to apply for PR.

People here say they have waited for years and still do not know when their applications will be finished.

“Right now I’m stuck in limbo. It’s been a year and a half. I haven’t heard back from the IRCC regarding my application, and we’re continuously arguing with, we’re continuously hoping that IRCC sees our cases,” said Vikrambir Singh, another demonstrator.

“There’s not just me, there’s 40,000 plus applications that are stuck in limbo, and we don’t know when they’re going to get processed.”

They also point to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) processing time tool, which now suggests new applicants could wait more than 10 years for their PR.

The Immigration Minister recently told Parliament that there have been more than 46,000 applications under the Hong Kong PR pathways, and just over 13,000 had arrived.

“And the minister’s solution is, “don’t apply under the lifeboat scheme”. What is she even talking about? That scheme was specifically designed for Hong Kongers, said MP Jenny Kwan, representing Vancouver East for the NDP.

“So, it is absolutely outrageous that she would renege on the government’s promise in suggesting that the Hong Kongers should apply under a different stream. It is absolutely unacceptable.”

The federal government introduced special measures for Hong Kong residents in 2020, after China imposed the national security law in Hong Kong.

*Click image or link to read or watch the TV news story - https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/06/07/demonstrators-rally-hong-kong-pr-processing-backlog/

HANSARD: Questioning Immigration Minister on HK Pathway applications

HANSARD: Questioning the Immigration Minister on the US Safe Third Country Agreement

HANSARD: Present petition about prolonged security screening delays for PR applicants

Media Release: MP Jenny Kwan, Health-Care Workers and Advocates Condemn Discriminatory Federal Fees for Refugee Health Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MP Jenny Kwan, Health-Care Workers and Advocates Condemn Discriminatory Federal Fees for Refugee Health Care

OTTAWA, ON — April 22, 2026 — Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan, alongside frontline health-care professionals and advocates from across Canada, today denounced the federal government’s planned co-payment measures under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), warning the policy will restrict access to essential care for refugee claimants and ultimately increase costs to the health-care system at a press conference on Parliament Hill.

MP Kwan was joined by Sara Habibyar, a former refugee and healthcare worker; Dr. Edward Xie, an emergency room physician; Dr. Vanessa Reddit and Dr. Manal Badi, family physicians; Ilda Azzam, a social worker and psychotherapist; Dr. Nazila Bettache, an internal medicine specialist; and Dr. Charles Hui, a pediatric infectious disease specialist.

The changes, set to take effect on May 1, will require refugee claimants to pay a $4 fee per prescription and 30% of the cost of supplemental services such as dental, vision, and mental health care. The IFHP provides temporary health coverage to refugees and asylum seekers before they are eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance.

The announcement comes amid growing national opposition, including coordinated rallies and a cross-country “Day of Action” held in multiple cities. Health-care professionals, legal advocates, and refugee support organizations have warned that even modest co-payments can create significant barriers for individuals already facing financial hardship.

"This policy punishes people who have already endured immense hardship by placing new financial barriers between them and the care they need,” said Kwan. “It is fundamentally at odds with Canada’s commitment to equitable and accessible health care.”

Evidence from Canada and internationally shows that co-payment systems reduce access to medications and preventive care, particularly for low-income populations. Health experts warn that this can lead to worsening health conditions, increased emergency room visits, and higher long-term system costs.

"We know exactly what happens when people cannot afford care—they delay treatment, their conditions worsen, and they end up needing more intensive and expensive interventions,” Kwan said. “This does not reduce costs; it shifts them in ways that increase human suffering and strain our public health system.”

Advocates also point to the broader policy context, noting recent federal efforts to reduce public spending and tighten immigration measures. The co-payment changes have raised concerns about a pattern of policies that disproportionately impact refugees and migrants at a time when many are already struggling with the high cost of living and the challenges of resettlement.

Legal and medical experts have further cautioned that similar cuts to refugee health coverage in 2012 were struck down by the Federal Court of Canada as “cruel and unusual treatment,” underscoring the potential constitutional and ethical implications of the current policy.

Despite assurances that core services—such as doctor visits, hospital care, and diagnostic testing—will remain fully covered, health-care providers stress that access to medications and supplemental services is essential to preventing more serious health issues.

"A universal health-care system cannot pick and choose who gets meaningful access to care,” Kwan added. “We must not create a two-tier system that leaves refugees and asylum seekers behind.”

MP Kwan called on the federal government to immediately rescind the discriminatory measures and work collaboratively with health-care providers, advocates, and affected communities to strengthen equitable access to care.

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CPAC Headline Politics: NDP, Doctors Voice Opposition to Refugee Health-Care Fees

On Parliament Hill in Ottawa, NDP MP Jenny Kwan and health-care professionals from across the country speak out against changes to a government program that covers health-care costs for refugees. Starting May 1, recipients under the Interim Federal Health Program will be required to pay a $4 fee for prescription medications and a 30 per cent co-payment for other services, like dental and vision care.

Kwan is joined by Manal Badi (family physician), Charles Hui (pediatric infectious disease specialist), Edward Xie (emergency room physician), Vanessa Reddit (family physician), Ilda Azzam (social worker and psychotherapist), and Nazila Bettache (internal medicine specialist). (April 22, 2026)

*Click image or link to watch the press conference video - https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/ndp-doctors-voice-opposition-to-refugee-health-care-fees?id=cd5a1a1b-3bea-4bb6-a802-6847a1d78e8b

Canadian Press: Immigration minister’s office defends strict new timelines for refugee claims

OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Lena Diab's office is defending new rules that may strike down thousands of refugee claims, saying difficult decisions are required to regain control of Canada's immigration system.

Under Ottawa's new border law C-12, which passed in March, refugee claims must be made within a year of a claimant's first arrival in Canada in order to go through the regular refugee process.

The changes are retroactive to June 24, 2020, and the rule applies to all claims made on or after June 3, 2025. The department estimates about 30,000 existing claimants have been sent notices warning their claims may now be deemed ineligible.

Those claimants include a Palestinian man who donated a kidney to his Canadian sister in 2023, during a roughly seven-week stay in Canada, and an Iranian political activist whose identity was leaked to the regime in July 2025, after the one-year rule took retroactive effect.

Jenny Kwan, the NDP's immigration critic, called the one-year rule "arbitrary" and "draconian" and said people with claims that seem to be legitimate are now being told they may no longer be eligible.

"It is not assessing people on the basis of whether or not they are a genuine refugee … but rather it is a completely arbitrary timeline that the Liberals have imposed, regardless of people's situation," Kwan told The Canadian Press.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.timescolonist.com/national-news/immigration-ministers-office-defends-strict-new-timelines-for-refugee-claims-12145838

CPAC Headline Politics: NDP Leader Urges Action on Study Permits for Gazan Students

At a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, NDP Leader Avi Lewis and NDP MP Jenny Kwan are joined by representatives from a number of groups to discuss the filing of mandamus applications by Gazan graduate students seeking permits to study at Canadian universities. (no interpretation)

Click image or link to watch the press conference video - https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/ndp-leader-urges-action-on-study-permits-for-gazan-students--april-14-2026?id=523cdc69-199f-45a0-aa5f-359b491f2945