Humanitarian, Refugees and Foreign Affairs

IN THE NEWS: Canadian Press - Permanent residency application rejections

Recently released figures show the rejection rate for permanent residency applications on humanitarian and compassionate grounds has risen sharply over the past couple of years.
"These decisions were done quietly behind closed doors and there is little public accountability in this opaque and discretionary process," said NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan.
Canada allows some people who would not usually meet the criteria for permanent residency to apply on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, which are considered on a case-by-case basis according to factors such as how settled someone is here or the best interests of children.
According to data the Immigration Department provided in response to an order paper question from Kwan this spring, the rate of applications refused after processing ranged from 35 to 41 per cent between 2016 and 2019. Those figures do not include applications that were withdrawn.

IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - Special immigration measures will help Canada resettle thousands of Afghans who worked with military, embassy

Recently released figures show the rejection rate for permanent residency applications on humanitarian and compassionate grounds has risen sharply over the past couple of years.
"These decisions were done quietly behind closed doors and there is little public accountability in this opaque and discretionary process," said NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan.
Canada allows some people who would not usually meet the criteria for permanent residency to apply on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, which are considered on a case-by-case basis according to factors such as how settled someone is here or the best interests of children.
According to data the Immigration Department provided in response to an order paper question from Kwan this spring, the rate of applications refused after processing ranged from 35 to 41 per cent between 2016 and 2019. Those figures do not include applications that were withdrawn.

IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - Former Afghan drivers who worked for Canada say their lives are in danger from Taliban reprisals

“For two decades, Afghan drivers served our Canadian embassies, military and our RCMP. After years of trusted service, the Liberal government is refusing to allow a pathway to safety for Afghans who served Canada. Trudeau is turning his back on them in their hour of need,” he said.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan has also called on the government to help Afghan employees who worked for the Canadian government.
On Friday, Ms. Kwan wrote an open letter to Mr. Mendicino urging him to put in place a special immigration measure to provide immediate refuge to Afghan interpreters and their families who have been left behind.

IN THE NEWS: Montreal Gazette - Rejections for permanent residency requests in Canada doubled since 2019

The data comes from an access to information request filed by the New Democratic Party.
“The Liberal government must explain why there is such a surge in denials of humanitarian requests and take immediate action to rectify this,” said NDP MP Jenny Kwan in a statement. She is accusing the Liberals of having “discreetly made decisions behind closed doors” concerning an already “opaque and arbitrary” immigration process.
“We don’t understand what’s going on,” Hussan said. “There has been no policy change, no announcement.”  Hussan added that by doubling rejections, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is doubling the exploitation of migrant workers without status. The change of direction “condemns the migrants already here” by “depriving them of the possibility of having rights,” he said.

IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - Canada working to resettle dozens of Afghan interpreters and staff facing retailiation from Taliban

Dozens of Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the Canadian government during its military mission in Afghanistan are hoping to be resettled in Canada amid fears their lives are in danger from Taliban reprisals as the U.S. withdraws its troops from the war-torn country.

New Democrat immigration critic Jenny Kwan said as Canada’s allies withdraw troops from the country, “time is of the essence” to resettle Afghan employees who aided the Canadian government.
“To say that Canada will monitor the situation, which is the minister’s response, that’s akin to saying that Canada will stand on the sideline and watch as Afghan interpreters receive the death sentence,” she said in an interview.
Ms. Kwan also took issue with the idea of dealing with cases individually, calling it a “stock answer to quell public pressure.”
Afghan interpreters who helped the Canadian military, Ms. Kwan said, should not be left behind.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-former-afghan-drivers-who-worked-for-canada-say-their-lives-are-in/

Dozens of Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the Canadian government during its military mission in Afghanistan are hoping to be resettled in Canada amid fears their lives are in danger from Taliban reprisals as the U.S. withdraws its troops from the war-torn country.

New Democrat immigration critic Jenny Kwan said as Canada’s allies withdraw troops from the country, “time is of the essence” to resettle Afghan employees who aided the Canadian government.
“To say that Canada will monitor the situation, which is the minister’s response, that’s akin to saying that Canada will stand on the sideline and watch as Afghan interpreters receive the death sentence,” she said in an interview.
Ms. Kwan also took issue with the idea of dealing with cases individually, calling it a “stock answer to quell public pressure.”
Afghan interpreters who helped the Canadian military, Ms. Kwan said, should not be left behind.

IN THE NEWS: Toronto Star - Closure of Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy newspaper should spur Ottawa to action, critics say

“The forced closure of the newspaper, Apple Daily, as a result of charges under the National Security Law for Hong Kong is a significant blow to freedom of the press and freedom of speech in Hong Kong, and makes it clear that the powers under the National Security Law are being used as a tool to suppress media freedom and punish dissidents,” read the statement.
Vancouver NDP MP Jenny Kwan said the journalists who helped produce Apple Daily are now being “targeted” by the CCP, and said the federal government should make it easier for them to seek refuge in Canada.
Kwan said, so far, measures brought in by Ottawa to help Hong Kong democracy activists come to Canada are geared toward what would economically benefit Canada rather than humanitarian measures.
“How will we help (the Apple Daily staff) escape this persecution?” Kwan said. “We’re not. Let’s be clear about that.”
She said Canada’s response to China’s aggressions in the city have been weak and do not back up the Canadian government’s earlier claim it “stands with the people of Hong Kong.”

IN THE NEWS: CBC - For many young Hong Kong graduates, Canada’s new routes to immigration have turned into a dead end

The crackdown has seen dozens of former lawmakers and pro-democracy activists arrested.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan is part of the parliamentary committee that published a report this month on pathways to Canadian permanent residency for Hong Kong residents. She argues that the Liberal government should eliminate all education and work experience limitations on people who wish to come to Canada before Hong Kong's exit ban takes effect. 
"If the government doesn't take further action to support the people of Hong Kong, I fear that it would be too late," she said.  "Unfortunately, the humanitarian component is not part of the package — the government is only thinking about what economic benefit can we get from the people of Hong Kong."

IN THE NEWS: CBC - Ottawa mom fed up with immigration delay to children stuck in Gaza

Qunoo has received support from MP Jenny Kwan, the NDP critic for IRCC, who has sent a letter to the minister urging Qunoo's temporary resident permit application be granted immediately.

"It is simply unacceptable that there is no process in place to allow a parent to not be separated from children while going through the asylum process," wrote Kwan.

Kwan is also advocating for a six-month limit on applications that involve children, instead of the current delay she now estimates at 39 months for permanent resident status applications of family members of refugee applicants.

IN THE NEWS: CBC - Advocacy groups warn Covid-19 travel ban has left refugees in limbo

The Canadian Council for Refugees called on the government months ago to introduce exemptions to the travel measures for people being resettled as refugees and entering to make a refugee protection claim.  Janet Dench, the organization’s executive director, said refugee travel is essential, saying that those awaiting resettlement live in precarious circumstances and that the pandemic has only added to their vulnerability.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said processing delays were significant before the pandemic and “things have just gone from bad to worse.”
Ms. Kwan said the lag can be particularly burdensome for refugee families who left family members behind and made applications to reunite. “I am regularly in discussion with people who made an application, been waiting a year, two years or more with having their application processed,” she said.