“No More Loopholes Act,” proposed by NDP Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan
Kwan’s bill would remove exemptions in Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act to try to ensure Canadian arms aren’t used to commit atrocities in places like Gaza, by transiting through third parties like the United States. “Our government insists that Canada doesn’t export arms to countries accused of war crimes — but that’s only true on paper,” she told the Star. “The reality is that shipments go through the United States without oversight … (and) are being used on civilians that are being bombed, starved, and displaced. This isn’t who Canadians are, and it’s not what we stand for.”
Click link to read the opinion article - https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/nine-ideas-you-havent-heard-about-from-canadian-politicians/article_d34145a1-b3b1-4dd3-91ba-ba94324dc92e.html
Jenny Kwan, the NDP’s critic on immigration, said in a social media post before the bill was tabled that the “sudden reversal” shows it was flawed from the start.
“Why was the ‘safety’ border bill rushed without consultation or due diligence?” she said. “Public safety legislation should never be driven by Trump or foreign politics. Canadians deserve better.”
The new legislation includes the other elements included in Bill C-2, including restricting access to asylum, increasing authorities’ control over immigration documents, expanding border officers’ ability to inspect exports, giving the Canadian Coast Guard security patrol powers and allowing more information sharing with other levels of government and the United States.
Click link to read the news story - https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/carney-government-tables-toned-down-version-of-tougher-immigration-law/article_f341b3c5-b107-4127-8cd5-4f1059871643.html
Ms. Kwan signalled that the NDP would not support Bill C-2 without substantial changes.
“Even if the bill is adjusted somewhat, it is still very disturbing that warrantless access provisions remain intact. This allows intelligence agencies, police and other public officials to conduct surveillance operations without proper authorization,” she said in an e-mail. “If those are the only changes, the NDP still cannot support this bill.”
Mr. Anandasangaree told reporters that he would be open to possible amendments to immigration provisions, which remain unchanged in Bill C-12. They restrict the ability to claim asylum and give the immigration minister the power to cancel visa applications en masse.
On Thursday, a coalition of civil-society organizations, including civil liberties, and refugee and migrant-rights groups, called for the withdrawal of both bills.
“Bill C-12 does not fix Bill C-2; it fast-tracks some of the most-egregious aspects, while still moving forward with the rest,” Tim McSorley, national co-ordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, said in a statement.
Click link to read the news story - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-strong-border-bill-c2-c12-anandasangaree-police-rcmp/
The NDP’s public safety and immigration critic, Jenny Kwan, has also expressed serious concerns about the bill and, at its second reading debate last month, called for it to be withdrawn entirely.
The bill has yet to progress to its committee stage or to the Senate. But as this is a minority government, it will need the support of MPs from other parties to push it through.
Parliamentary papers that indicate future business in the House of Commons show that Mr. Anandasangaree is due to present another strong borders bill within days.
An analysis by the Library of Parliament, reported by The Globe and Mail in August, warned that the government’s proposed strong-borders legislation risked infringing on Canadians’ Charter rights if passed, including the right to be treated equally under the law.
The study by experts at the library, which carries out research for MPs and senators, also noted that Bill C-2 could lead to discriminatory profiling and targeting by law enforcement and that some of its provisions – including a proposal to allow Canada Post to open letters – would jeopardize the privacy of Canadians.
Click link to read the news story - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-strong-borders-bill-c-2/
NDP MP Jenny Kwan, who this week wrote to Metlege Diab seeking answers on the issue, said the fact that Gasparro announced the government ban before the court case against one of the band members had been settled raises more questions about what transpired.
“Canada needs to make sure that such decisions are accountable and that they’re not subject to arbitrary and political weaponization,” she told National Post.
“It’s really important that we actually get clarity on what went on. Is this a sanctioned announcement from the government? Is the band Kneecap actually banned? Were they ever banned?”
Click link to read the news story - https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/calls-grow-for-carney-government-to-explain-statement-banning-irish-hip-hop-trio
Click link to see more photos - https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/10/01/ndp-bloc-quebecois-join-rally-for-postal-union-workers/475742/
The federal immigration minister is facing increasing pressure to clarify whether the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap is indeed banned from entering Canada, or if the Liberal official who announced the move was approved to make that assertion in a contentious social media post.
In a letter to Immigration Minister Lena Diab on Thursday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan, the party’s immigration critic, urged Diab to say whether the group is indeed banned after the minister and other officials have repeatedly refused to answer questions on the case for almost two weeks.
The band says it has yet to receive any official notice about an entry ban or denial of their electronic visa authorizations.
“Canadians and visitors to Canada deserve to know that they are not subject to arbitrary and politicized weaponization of public policy for political purposes,” Kwan wrote.
“We need to rebuild integrity into the system in this time of misinformation.”
Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, the parliamentary secretary for combating crime, announced on Sept. 19 “on behalf of the Government of Canada” that the band’s members had been deemed ineligible for entry ahead of scheduled concerts this month, based “on the advice of our officials.”
Kwan wants Diab to answer if the officials Gasparro referenced are in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and if she or other IRCC officials authorized Gasparro to speak on their behalf publicly.
The letter also asks if Kneecap were ever formally banned from entering Canada or if they are permitted to enter, and if the Prime Minister’s Office or any other government officials or agencies were involved in approving Gasparro’s announcement.