Humanitarian, Refugees and Foreign Affairs

OPEN LETTER to Deputy Prime Minister on border restriction

This letter is regarding the most recent announcement made on the morning of March 20th 2020 by Prime Minister Trudeau that irregular migrant crossings will not be permitted from the United States border, and will be turned back into U.S custody. It was only days ago that the government provided verbal assurance that asylum seekers crossing into Canada irregularly would not be turned away. Now today these unprecedented restrictions have been announced and I am highly concerned about the possible implications that could result. It is incredibly disappointing that Canada is turning its back on its humanitarian obligations, particularly when we are facing a global pandemic when those who are most vulnerable are in need now more than ever.
The current unprecedented situation with COVID-19 does not mean that the global forced displacement crisis is over, nor does it mean that the conditions for those fleeing persecution had stopped. Choosing to turn our backs on those in desperate need to get to safety will not effectively stop the spread of COVID-19.

IN THE NEWS: CBC - Ottawa reveals details of emergency immigration program for Ukrainian refugees

Jenny Kwan, the NDP immigration critic, said Ukrainian refugees hoping to come to Canada still face hurdles that Ottawa could eliminate. "Accessing a biometrics centre in a neighbouring country may still be onerous and difficult and will undoubtedly delay the process," she said.
Kwan cited Ireland as an example to follow. Ireland has temporarily waived its visa requirements for refugees fleeing the war.

HANSARD: Jenny questions the priorities of the Conservatives

Parliament VIDEO: Speech in Parliament on the Emergencies Act

On February 20, 2022, Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan made her speech in Parliament on the Emergencies Act, stating her position and her disappointment with both the Liberals and Conservatives.:

IN THE NEWS: CBC - Hong Kong protest film sells out within minutes in Vancouver

Hong Kong-born Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan, who was invited to watch the screening on Sunday, says she was devastated at the scenes of brutality involving Hong Kong police and gangsters trying to suppress the protest.

"There were students as young as 11 years old coming out to protest on their own, trying to fight for their future, and you have seniors, elderly coming forward to try and protect them," she said.

IN THE NEWS: Hill Times - Public policies in place for Afghan refugees are being kept private

NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, said she’s never seen an instance of the government not sharing information in terms of a policy that impacts the public. She understands that specific details about which groups the government might be working with or what their strategy is on the ground in Afghanistan needs to be kept private for security purposes. 

“But if there is flexibility with the current situation then we need to know what is that flexibility and how would it apply? Because at this stage, we don’t know. We’re all shooting in the dark,” she said. 

MEDIA STATEMENT - Jenny’s response to minister announcement on immigration procesing delays

Additionally, I am concerned that the Minister seems to be satisfied with the processing of family reunification applications. The backlog for outbound family reunification applications are significantly delayed, including the reunification of children of asylum seekers. ​For these refugee families, the current wait times ​in processing now reach upwards of two to three years for dependents of refugee, far from any processing service standards.

IN THE NEWS: Hill Times - Confusion and chaos define Canada’s effort to resettle Afghan refugees

NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, told The HillTimes that, despite having an awareness of what was to come in Afghanistan, the Canadian government did not adequately prepare. 

“The situation has been chaotic right from the get-go,” she said. 

IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - Canada’s spy agency warns MPs to beware of influence operations from China

Vancouver NDP MP Jenny Kwan, a critic of Beijing’s crackdown in the former British colony of Hong Kong, was also briefed before and after the 2021 election. She said the conversation was principally focused on China.

“The briefing touched on a range of issues on how interference could occur and examples of those possibilities and to ensure we are alerted,” she said, but cautioned much of it was confidential. “When CSIS has such concerns … it is useful for all parliamentarians to be informed of that.”

IN THE NEWS: Globe & Mail - While Afghan judges await entry to Canada, their visas face expiry deadlines in Greece

Greece granted the women and their families temporary visas on the understanding that the country would be a “lily pad” destination – a place where the Afghans would stay temporarily while they awaited visas from Canada, the United States and other countries. But the paperwork has taken months. In a letter to Mr. Fraser and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said some of the Greek visas will expire at the end of this month.

In her letter, she wrote that the immigration forms are detailed and complex, and that filling them out requires internet access, which refugees might be unable to obtain. They might also need help from lawyers and translators.