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.
IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - Church group halts refugee sponsorship role, calls on Ottawa to provide support
A B.C. church organization that has been instrumental in sponsoring refugees has abruptly suspended its program, as Canada’s private sponsors face frustration and burnout amid a growing humanitarian crisis.
“I regret to inform you that all sponsorship activities under the auspices of the Anglican Diocese of BC are hereby suspended effective immediately,” Tony Davis, the diocese’s sponsorship co-ordinator, told community partners in a March 27 e-mail obtained by The Globe and Mail. “This action is taken with a heavy heart, and I am not certain how long the issues behind this decision will take to be resolved.”