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This petition asks Canada to grant asylum to transgender people from the U.S. Could it work?

Some Democrat-led states are taking steps to protect transgender and non-binary people, especially young people. This month, for example, Minnesota Gov.Tim Walz signed an executive order to protect the rights of LGBTQ people in the state. A bill tabled by Minnesota's first openly transgender lawmaker also aims to make the state a "trans refuge state." 

NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan, who supports the reasons for the petition, said she's not sure travelling to different regions within a home country will be feasible for everyone. There are also uncertainties about whether that's a viable long-term option.

"These are ongoing concerns," she said. "If they [go] to yet another state, maybe the laws there will also change.”

Canadian Press: 'Worse than an animal': Mother enraged as killer claims Amanda Zhao might be alive

Yang told The Canadian Press that Li's claims about her daughter left her shaking with “extreme shock and anger.” She was also appalled by his claim to be a victim of persecution.

The 38-year-old, using the name Leo Jiaming Li, is petitioning New Zealand's government for asylum, saying in a submission to the country's parliament that he and his “family from Tibet” had been tortured and harassed by China's Communist government.  His case represented a “touchstone of democracy,” he wrote on the petition, which received 1,315 signatures and was referred to the government last week.

Global News: B.C. MP outraged international student’s killer seeking refugee status in New Zealand

A Vancouver MP says she’s outraged a man convicted in the death of an international student in B.C. two decades ago is trying to claim refugee status in New Zealand. Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan has penned a letter to the federal government calling on it to engage with New Zealand immigration officials and ensure they’re fully aware of Ang Li’s criminal history.

Kwan said she has spoken to federal Justice Minister David Lametti about the matter. She said Canada should not interfere in New Zealand’s internal processes, but should ensure officials in the country are operating with the most accurate information possible.

Media Release: Open Letter to Immigration Minister on immigration measure for Hong Kong

The NDP is therefore calling on the government to apply this extension and expansion to the Permanent Residency stream for Hong Kongers. This is a gap that must be filled to ensure Hong Kongers have a sustainable pathway to safety.

In addition, I urge the government to lift the criminal record check requirements for individuals accused of violating the national security law or in the very minimum substitute that requirement with an alternate means to satisfy public safety concerns. This is an essential component to ensure the pathway to safety is workable on the ground for applications. As you could anticipate, for those who are being persecuted for violation of the national security law,

MEDIA RELEASE: Jagmeet and the NDP deliver results that will save many Canadians up to $1,700

OTTAWA – The budget released on Tuesday shows how Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and New Democrats have used their power to deliver results for Canadians at a time where people desperately need help with the cost-of-living. With another doubling of the GST rebate and dental care for children under 18, people living with a disability and seniors, millions of Canadians are going to save $1,700.

“Today’s budget shows that when New Democrats use our power, we get real things done for people,” said Singh. “This is a difficult time for Canadians. The cost of everything is up. That’s why we fought for a budget that saves you money and creates good jobs with better wages. Justin Trudeau voted against dental care twice and he didn’t want to double the GST rebate, but we didn’t take no for an answer. We fought and we got those things for working people. And if Pierre Poilievre had his way in this budget, there would be no dental care. Your pension, and the services that your family relies on would be cut to benefit the big bosses.”

CBC: An Afghan military interpreter made it to Canada — but his siblings were forced back to Afghanistan

"What we're hearing on the ground from people is that people are getting deported, they are not getting to safety," the NDP's Jenny Kwan said.

Her party is calling on the Canadian government to lift the 40,000 cap on the number of Afghans it wants to bring here, calling it an arbitrary limit.

Hill Times: Immigration minister defends department’s multi-million-dollar contracts with McKinsey, but lawyers describe resulting product as ‘crappy’

NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, attended the Feb. 15 House Government Operations Committee meeting so she could question Fraser, who appeared virtually from his constituency in Nova Scotia. 

Kwan pointed out that immigration consultants and lawyers have testified at the House Immigration Committee “to talk about what a disaster the transformation in digital processes is,” Kwan said. “In certain areas, they are saying that they can’t upload documents, and when they do spend hours doing it, the system crashes.” 

“The minister, I’m sure, is aware of all of this. And so this is what we bought? $24.8-million?” she queried. 

Fraser acknowledged the system isn’t running smoothly right now. 

“I would suggest that we’re in the middle of a major transition and the system we’re working with now is predominantly the legacy system … rather than a fully modernized system, which will be available and fine-tuned after a few years,” he offered. 

“I appreciate the new system, but the reality is it’s not working very well,” Kwan retorted. “So if McKinsey was actually spearheading this, $24.8-million of tax dollars on this is not a very good job, I have to say.” 

CBC: Poilievre accuses Trudeau of ignoring election interference by China

NDP MP Jenny Kwan said Friday the government should be more transparent when it's briefed on foreign interference.

"They cannot try to shield this information just because it may be that it's the Liberal who will be benefiting, potentially, from these activities," Kwan said in an interview.

"The issue here, for me, fundamentally — irrespective of parties — is about our democratic system. Something that I think sometimes we take for granted, but for me, as an immigrant … is something that I absolutely cherish.”

Media Release: Liberals are falling behind in delivering homes Canadians can afford

OTTAWA—NDP Housing Critic Jenny Kwan issued the following statement in response to a report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) on the Liberals’ failure to meet their housing goals for Canadians, while a recent report shows a 10.7 per cent hike in rent prices since one year ago:

“The NDP is echoing a major concern raised by the PBO in a report: the Liberal government is failing further and further behind its own housing goals because it isn’t accounting for inflation. Meanwhile, the Liberal government’s failure to keep up with the housing needs of Canadians amid a housing crisis is contributing to a whopping 10.7 per cent hike in rent year-over-year.

Van Sun: Federal government kicks in $1.8 million to revitalize Vancouver's Chinatown

Monday, the federal government chipped into the revitalization by announcing a $1.8 million grant through the PacifiCan Tourism Relief Fund. About $1.3 million will go to modernizing and upgrading the Chinese Cultural Centre, the Chinatown Storytelling Centre and the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Classical Gardens.

The remaining $500,000 will be used to expand the Light Up Chinatown Festival, a two-day event in September that brought an estimated 10,000 people to Chinatown last year.