NDP to Trudeau: Reject travel ban, increase Canada’s refugee commitments

The following is a statement from Jenny Kwan, NDP Critic for Immigration and Refugees:

On behalf of the New Democratic Party, I wish to express my profound disappointment with the reinstatement of President Donald Trump’s travel ban. This ban ...

On behalf of the New Democratic Party, I wish to express my profound disappointment with the reinstatement of President Donald Trump’s travel ban. This ban unfairly targets all refugees and individuals from six predominately Muslim countries. Claims that it will benefit US national security are not supported by a shred of evidence.

Canadians wholly reject any travel ban based on race or religion. We expect our leaders to be brave enough to stand up for human rights and against policies that put lives at risk, while perpetuating hate and fear. Unfortunately Canada’s Prime Minister has refused to directly criticize this ban.

When President Trump’s original travel ban was announced, Prime Minister Trudeau tweeted out a message to refugees welcoming them to Canada even as his government shut down the private sponsorship program set up to assist Syrian refugees. Since then he has failed to take any measures that would enhance Canada’s refugee program in the wake of such a ban.

Not only has Prime Minister Trudeau refused to condemn this ban, he’s refused to increase the number of refugees Canada takes in and placed a hard cap on a category of privately sponsored refugees. Additionally, and despite opposition from across the country, Trudeau has refused to suspend the so-called ‘Safe Third Country Agreement’ which prevents asylum seekers from crossing the border at formal points of entry. Instead, hundreds of asylum seekers have been forced to make dangerous crossings over the Canadian border, some losing appendages to frost bite and one woman losing her life.

Canada has a duty and a responsibility to work with the international community to address the growing refugee crisis, a crisis which will only be made worse by the US travel ban. The government of Canada should condemn this ban, suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement and increase our commitments to support refugees.”

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Public Forum: The No More Loopholes Act: Canada's Arms Exports and Human Rights Violation

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation by all Members of Parliament.
On January 30, join CCMS for a discussion with Jenny Kwan, Adel Iskandar, and Rachel Small, moderated by Am Johal, regarding the No More Loopholes Act.

January 30 | 4 PM
SFU Downtown Vancouver Campus | Harbour Centre | Room 2270
515 W Hastings Street, Vancouver

Bill C-233, the No More Loopholes Act, is a private member’s bill put forward by Vancouver-East MP Jenny Kwan in September 2025 to press Canada to abide by the Arms Trade Treaty that it signed in 2019. Currently arms exported to the US are exempted and have ended up being used by Israel in Gaza, by Saudia Arabia in Yemen and many other places. The private member’s bill will be voted on in Parliament at Second Reading in late-February.

This public forum is intended to build public support for this legislation.
Speakers:

Adel Iskandar, Director, CCMS
Jenny Kwan, MP, Vancouver-East
Alex Neve, Former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada and 2025 Massey Lecturer
Rachel Small, World Without War
Moderated by Am Johal

Click image or link to reserve a spot - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-no-more-loopholes-act-canadas-arms-exports-and-human-rights-violation-tickets-1975666448531?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=112d4ub6_gcl_auOTAyNjk5MDQ3LjE3NjkxMjM3NjM._gaMTg3NjM2OTUzNy4xNzY5MTIzNzYz_ga_R4BCVYL1QF*czE3NjkxMjM3NjMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjkxMjM3NzYkajQ3JGwwJGgw

Open Letter: Continue funding for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

CBC: NDP MPs hear local concerns as caucus meeting gets underway in Nunavut

The temperature, though relatively mild for the Kivalliq region in January, also caught some of the NDP's Vancouver MPs a bit off guard.

"The minute you came out of the plane you felt immediately the difference between communities," said Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan. "The wind, the cold was something that I have never experienced in all of my life."

Rankin Inlet Mayor Harry Towtongie said it's good to see southern politicians get a taste of the issues his community faces.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ndp-mps-hear-local-concerns-as-caucus-meeting-gets-underway-in-nunavut-9.7054586