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Vancouver Sun: Ottawa pulls funding to program matching Lower Mainland wheelchair-users with accessible homes

For full-time wheelchair-users in the Lower Mainland, the ability to live independently has often hinged on one thing: finding accessible housing.

For Vancouver’s Mark Cody, 44, life was once confined to the parts of his apartment that he could physically reach.

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Cody lost the use of his legs after a missile strike while in Baghdad, Iraq. He spent years unable to bathe himself or leave his house until a program connected him and his wife, Zoey, with an accessible two-bedroom apartment in 2023 — making it possible for them to start a family.

Speaking Wednesday inside the Harmony Building in Vancouver’s Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, clients of Disability Alliance B.C.’s right fit program stood alongside Vancouver East NDP MP Jenny Kwan to draw attention to the program’s closure after a recent $500,000 cut in federal funding through Reaching home: Canada’s homelessness strategy.

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About a dozen wheelchair-users attended the news conference. Many held signs reading: “Save the right fit program.” Some were visibly teary-eyed.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://vancouversun.com/news/ottawa-pulls-funding-to-program-matching-lower-mainland-wheelchair-users-with-accessible-homes

Canadian Press: Canadian banks, pension funds have poured billions into ICE contractors

Financial institutions have backed multiple companies that have major contracts with ICE to provide equipment or services, through investments, loans and bonds totalling about US$35 billion, according to an investigation by non-profit Stand.earth.

OTTAWA - Major Canadian banks and pension funds provided tens of billions of dollars to American contractors for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, an investigation by the non-profit Stand.earth has found.

The group's analysis of loan and share data found Canadian financial institutions backed multiple companies that have major contracts with ICE to provide equipment or services, through investments, loans and bonds totalling about US$35 billion.

The companies that benefited from those Canadian investments include: data analytics firm Palantir; major U.S. defence contractors General Dynamics and L3Harris; the IT firm CACI; and telecom giant AT&T. CoreCivic and Geo Group, which construct and manage detention centres, also benefited to a lesser extent.

Left-wing politicians reacted sharply to news of the reported transactions. Newly elected NDP Leader Avi Lewis said Canadian businesses and public pensions should not provide support to "Trump‘s personal military arm."

"Canadians are scandalized by ICE, and we've been consistent as a party across this country that we don’t think that Canadian businesses should be doing business with ICE," Lewis told a news conference Monday in Winnipeg. "We certainly don’t think Canadian pension funds should be investing in the infrastructure of repression in the United States."

NDP MP Jenny Kwan said the Stand.earth report demonstrates the need for "greater transparency and accountability" and a "reassessment" of the ethical frameworks guiding public pensions and financial institutions.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/canadian-banks-pension-funds-have-poured-billions-into-ice-contractors/article_d023cc80-3127-57ef-9f02-3f16e7667368.html

Commemorating Stephen Lewis

I’m deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Stephen Lewis at the age of 88, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was a titan of democratic socialism with a global outlook that spoke to our better angels. His oratory remains legendary around the world. He could hold a room like no other. My thoughts go out to Stephen's wife Michelle, to Avi and the entire Lewis family.

Stephen Lewis spent a lifetime fighting for what mattered most: human rights, equality for women, and justice for the world’s most vulnerable—especially African families devastated by HIV/AIDS. His weapon was his voice, and it was one of unmatched eloquence, integrity, and conviction. He had the moral courage to speak out when it mattered. In the hallways of the UN to the corridors of power, he cornered political leaders and pushed them to act with urgency.

Even in his final years, he faced illness with the same indomitable energy that defined his life’s work. As his family so powerfully shared, he remained committed to “the unending struggle for justice and dignity for every human life.” That commitment never wavered. Avi's speech at the NDP Convention in Winnipeg spoke beautifully about how closely Stephen watched the details of the NDP leadership race. What a proud moment it must have been for him to witness the announcement of the leadership result.

Whether as a political leader, diplomat, or global advocate, he championed the disenfranchised, spoke out against violence and inequality, and helped bring the realities of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa to the world’s attention with urgency and humanity. He had a rare ability to both challenge and collaborate—to speak hard truths while still bringing people together to act. For those of us in political life, he asked us dig deeper and bring moral courage, urgency and clarity to our work. I was honoured that he attended my event when I first ran federally in 2015 - and, as always, he inspired the entire room.

His legacy is profound and enduring, reflected not only in policy and social progress, but in the countless lives he touched and inspired through his indomitable work ethic. He made us all better.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who were moved by his words and his work. The world has truly lost a uniquely remarkable generational voice that will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders.

OPEN LETTER: Elected Member of European Parliament denied entry to Canada

I’ve issued an open letter to the Ministers of Immigration & Public Safety regarding the unjust denial of entry to MEP Rima Hassan. This last-minute reversal of her eTA raises grave concerns about political neutrality & freedom of expression in Canada.I am calling for an immediate explanation & for the Ministers to facilitate her entry to allow for scheduled democratic exchange

Radio International Canada: A major immigration reform bill is now law in Canada. Some worry it rolls back refugee rights

Ottawa hopes to bring immigration under control but social advocates see legal battles ahead.

A major bill reforming immigration powers is now law in Canada, giving Ottawa powers to mass cancel groups of visas and setting time limits on asylum claims in the name of bringing immigration numbers under control.

But the legislation, passed Thursday, (new window) has also raised concerns from a coalition of civil society groups, including Amnesty International, immigration lawyers and public sector unions, that says it places too much authority in the government's hands and is vowing to fight it.

Bill C-12 attacks the rights of refugees and migrants, Julia Sande, a lawyer specializing in privacy and migrant rights at Amnesty International Canada, said in an interview with CBC News. It makes it harder for people to have their claims for refugee protection fairly assessed, so it puts people at risk of being deported to face persecution and torture.

Click image or link to read the news story - https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/2242744/a-major-immigration-reform-bill-is-now-law-in-canada-some-worry-it-rolls-back-refugee-rights

MEDIA RELEASE: MP Jenny Kwan Calls for Urgent Investigation into Canadian Pensions Profiting from ICE and Human Rights Abuses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MP Jenny Kwan Calls for Urgent Investigation into Canadian Pensions Profiting from ICE and Human Rights Abuses

I am deeply concerned by recent findings that Canadian public pensions and major financial institutions are investing billions in companies linked to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. These investments raise serious ethical questions about the role Canadian public funds play in supporting practices widely criticized for human rights violations, including the detention and mistreatment of migrants.

Canadians expect that their pensions and savings are managed responsibly and in alignment with our shared values of human dignity, justice, and accountability. The revelation that public pensions and banks may be profiting from corporations connected to detention centres, surveillance systems, and enforcement activities associated with repression is deeply troubling and demands urgent scrutiny.

These concerns are not new. In 2020, a Private Member’s Bill, Bill C-231, was introduced by the NDP to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act to strengthen ethical investment standards. The bill recognized that Canadians should not be involuntary shareholders in companies linked to environmental destruction, human rights abuses, or exploitative practices. It called for embedding clear environmental, social, and governance principles into investment decision-making.

There must now be greater transparency and accountability. I support calls for a thorough, independent investigation into these investments and a reassessment of the ethical frameworks guiding public pension and financial institution portfolios. Canada has a responsibility to ensure that our public funds reflect our values and do not contribute to harm.

MEDIA RELEASE: MP Jenny Kwan Statement on the Auditor General's Report on the International Student Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MP Jenny Kwan Statement on the Auditor General's Report on the International Student Program

The Auditor General report confirms what many students, communities and post-secondary institutions have been saying for years: under Justin Trudeau and now Mark Carney, the Liberal government has allowed the International Student Program to drift into disorder—failing both the people who come here in good faith and the communities that rely on a fair, well-managed system. Without a transparent structure and process, the politically driven policy lurches have had devastating effects for students and for the post-secondary sector as a whole.

The findings expose a system that has been neglected at the top while ordinary people pay the price. For years, the government allowed bad actors—unscrupulous recruiters and exploitative institutions—to take advantage of international students, many of whom arrive in Canada with hopes of building a better life. Instead of protecting them, the system left them vulnerable to fraud, abuse, overwhelming debt, and uncertainty. Now, rather than fixing those structural problems, the government has lurched to the other extreme.

The rushed cap on study permits is a clear example of policy driven by political pressure rather than principle. After years of inaction, the Liberals abruptly imposed sweeping cuts that have hit smaller provinces and communities the hardest. Atlantic Canada and the Prairies—regions that depend on international students to sustain local economies and public institutions—have seen reductions of 59 percent or more, despite earlier assurances. Even more troubling, the department admits it cannot explain why approval rates fell so far below projections. The government's policies have been driving the chaos and putting post-secondary institutions deep into deficits and job cuts.

This pattern of neglect followed by overcorrection reflects a government reacting to hysterical political criticism from Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives instead of leading with a clear, humane, and evidence-based vision. Canadians deserve better than policies that swing back and forth depending on the political winds, leaving students, workers, communities, and post-secondary institutions caught in the middle.

A fair immigration system must be built on integrity, transparency, and respect for the people it affects. That means cracking down on exploitation, properly resourcing enforcement, and ensuring that international students are treated with dignity—not as revenue streams or political talking points.

Under Mr. Trudeau and now Mr. Carney, we have seen the consequences of a system shaped by sudden politically driven decisions and policy reversals. It is time to build an immigration system that is stable, accountable, and rooted in long-term planning, not short-term political calculation and issues management.

Media Release: Demands Accountability Following "Jaw-Dropping" Revelations of RCMP Surveillance of Indigenous Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jenny Kwan Demands Accountability Following "Jaw-Dropping" Revelations of RCMP Surveillance of Indigenous Leaders

The recent media reports about the RCMP’s so-called “Native extremism program” are deeply troubling, not just as a matter of history, but for what they say about Canada’s institutions and their racist relationship with Indigenous peoples. What these documents show is not targeted security work against credible threats, but a sweeping, intrusive campaign that treated legitimate political advocacy as something to be monitored, controlled, and even disrupted. It is jaw-dropping to hear about Intelligence dossiers stuffed with documents, wiretaps. paid informants, covert operatives with code numbers. Dozens of First Nations leaders were put under surveillance.

Indigenous leaders and organizations were engaged in lawful, democratic efforts—advocating for land rights, self-determination, and fair treatment. To label that as “extremism” reflects a profoundly biased and colonial mindset. The scale of surveillance—wiretaps, informants, and infiltration into private spaces—raises serious concerns about violations of basic civil liberties, including privacy, freedom of association, and political expression. It also begs the question of the extent of surveillance today by the Canadian government of legitimate political advocacy by Indigenous activists and organizations.

Equally concerning is the intent behind the intelligence gathering. These were not just passive observations; the files were used to divide movements, withdraw funding, and interfere with organizing. That crosses a line from intelligence into active political interference.

This history matters today because trust in public institutions remains fragile in many Indigenous communities. When the state is seen to have weaponized its power in this way, it leaves a lasting legacy of suspicion and harm. With the Carney governments new Bill C-22, we once again see the hallmarks of government overreach. 

I'm calling today on the Minister of Public Safety to release all the remaining files on this issue and commit to holding public hearings with witnesses on these disturbing revelations so that Indigenous communities can have accountability for the harms that have been done by Canadian law enforcement and security agencies.

OPEN LETTER: rejected requests for pre-approval of treatment through the Canadian Dental Care Plan

Canadian Dental Care Plan is supposed to help Canadians, but a lack of transparency is leaving patients in the dark.  I've written to Minister Michel to demand clear reasons for dental claim denials. Patients deserve to know why their medically necessary care is being rejected.

Hill Times: Feds on track with immigration cuts, but policy’s long-term impacts remain unknown, say observers

The federal government’s immigration levels plan might be working successfully according to a recent analysis, but its long-term impact remains unknown, say an opposition MP and observers.

NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, told The Hill Times in a March 11 email that a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) report offers a demographic snapshot of the government’s immigration levels plan, but does not examine the short or long-term impacts of the Liberals’ “drastic” policy changes.

“Immigration policy cannot be judged by population projections alone. We must look at the real consequences these decisions are having on people, families, communities, and the economy,” she said.