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.
Canadian Press: Senator says several cabinet ministers knew she was issuing travel docs to Afghans
In a statement, the immigration department says it can't give further details because of ongoing litigation.
After the meeting, NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said ministers needed to provide clarity to the committee. "The real question, for me, is ministerial accountability," Kwan said.
CIMM#58: Jenny’s Motions on Bill S-245 and inviting ministers to testify on Senator McPhedran’s affair
Madam Chair, as indicated, we're kind of a little bit down to the wire here with the timeline. To ensure that the committee has the opportunity to do all the necessary work related to this bill, I therefore move this motion.”
Saltwire: New Canada-U.S. immigration deal puts ‘people in danger’ says former asylum seeker
Seidu Mohammed knows the lengths that asylum seekers will often go to when trying to cross the border into Canada and he worries that a newly signed agreement between the U.S. and Canada will cause even more desperation and harm to those trying to get into this country.
“I am speaking from experience, I almost froze to death, I lost my fingers, and I know what this is going to do for people trying to come here to seek safety, and it’s going to make it even harder on people,” Mohammed said on Monday in Emerson near the Canada-U.S. border.
CTV: 'This should be banned': Federal NDP wants update to immigration agreement suspended
Mohammed said he only survived because a truck driver found him and his friend on the side of the road.
Toronto Star: He lost his fingers trying to cross the border. Now the new Canada-U.S. deal has him ‘terrified’
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan criticized Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden for “secretly” signing the modified agreement a year ago but only making it public the day before the new rule took effect, on March 25.
“People who are persecuted for trying to escape discrimination, for trying to escape violence, for trying to escape rejection for being who they are, for trying to get to safety would be pushed further underground,” Kwan told Monday’s outdoor news conference amid a -15 C wind chill.
“Human trafficking will increase as a result of this rule.”
CIMM#57: Jenny asked Justice Minister and National Defense Minister on supports for Afghans
This was especially in light of the testimony presented to the Special Committee on Afghanistan by NGOs that were unable to provide aid on the ground to people who were in desperate need. In fact, World Vision indicated—as did a number of NGOs that came—that, because of these anti-terrorism laws, children were dying of malnutrition. They had packets ready to go and ready to be delivered on the ground, in order to save lives. They were unable to do so.
I'm really struggling to understand why it's taken, basically, two years for Canada to get to this stage, where this Criminal Code change is finally before us for deliberation.”
Global News: ‘Invisible wall’ at Roxham Road will drive persecuted asylum-seekers on ‘a dangerous pathway’: NDP Kwan
During question period at the House of Commons on Monday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan said that the closure of Roxham Road over the weekend with “an invisible wall” would “only drive persecuted asylum-seekers on a more dangerous pathway.” Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marie-France Lalonde responded by saying that the government had “finally updated” the Safe Third Country Act and that this was a “victory.”
QP: ‘Invisible wall’ at Roxham Road will drive persecuted asylum-seekers on ‘a dangerous pathway’
During question period at the House of Commons on Monday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan said that the closure of Roxham Road over the weekend with “an invisible wall” would “only drive persecuted asylum-seekers on a more dangerous pathway.” Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marie-France Lalonde responded by saying that the government had “finally updated” the Safe Third Country Act and that this was a “victory.”
MEDIA RELEASE: NDP reacts to government's decision related to the Safe Third Country Agreement
“The NDP is deeply disturbed to learn that Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government announced an expansion of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) to the entire Canada-US border, following discussions with President Biden, which came into effect at 12:01 am on March 25, 2023. This new agreement will expand the STCA to apply beyond official ports of entry, to the entire length of the Canada-US border, further denying asylum seekers a viable path to safety.
Given the widespread human rights implications of this decision, the NDP is also alarmed to learn these secretive negotiations took place without any consultation from stakeholders and experts. Further, this more restrictive agreement between Canada and the US was signed in secret back in Ottawa on March 29, 2022, while a case was already before the Supreme Court of Canada. This is shocking and appalling.