Letter in honour of the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees

Dear Archbishop Miller,
Today I write to you in observance of the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
In my capacities as Member of Parliament for Vancouver-East, the NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, and the Vice-Chair for the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, the issues, hardships, and success stories of refugees are incredibly important to me. I have had the opportunity to work with and advocate for refugee sponsorship groups and resettlement organizations in Vancouver to ensure that refugees arriving in Canada receive a warm welcome and can access the services they need to settle and thrive in their new home. I have also had many opportunities to meet with and do what I can to assist in that process with refugees to our community themselves. It has been an incredible experience, and the outpouring of support by our community during the Syrian refugee initiative was truly heartwarming.
Jenny Kwan: Statement on the Nanjing Massacre

Jenny Kwan: Statement on the Nanjing Massacre

On Dec. 13, events will be held in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and B.C. to mark the Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day.

Eighty years ago, Imperial Japanese army forces raped an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 Chinese women and girls, and some 300,000 people were killed. Western eye-witnesses in Nanjing described the atrocities as “hell on earth”.

After the Nanjing massacre, the military sexual slavery system for the Japanese military expanded rapidly. Some 200,000 women from Korea, the Philippines, China, Burma, Indonesia, and other Japanese occupied territories were tricked, kidnapped or coerced into working in brothels to serve as “comfort women” to the Imperial Japanese Army.

Documents of the Nanjing massacre were included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Thekla Lit, from BC ALPHA, worked with the B.C. NDP government to develop a resource guide, including The Rape of Nanking.

I thank Canada ALPHA for its dedication to ensuring that Canadians remember and learn from this history.

The government must do more to help migrant workers

Canada has admitted more temporary foreign workers than immigrants since 2006. Migrant workers are desperate to seek opportunities to better their lives and that of their families. As a result, they are often subjected to abuse and exploitation.

Recently, four foreign temporary workers have won the right to a class action against Mac’s and three immigration consultants/services (Overseas Immigration Services, Overseas Career and Consulting and Trident Immigration, companies controlled by Surrey resident Kuldeep Bansal) who allegedly charged the workers money to obtain jobs with Mac’s, only to arrive in Canada to find that most of these jobs did not exist. An access to information request revealed that LMOs were issued for 486 positions with Mac’s through these immigration consultants companies between 2012 and early 2014.

Charles Gordon, one of the lawyers representing the workers said:“Victims of this scheme were recruited in job fairs held in Dubai. They paid around $8000 in fees in exchange for the promise of a job in Canada. Typically, they paid $2000 often in cash, in Dubai, to get the process started, and then once they received an employment offer and an LMO they had to wire another $6000 before Overseas would provide them the documents allowing them come to Canada.”

CBSA is aware of the situation and has investigated the case for years and is recommending that charges be laid. Yet to date, no charges have been laid.

My question to the Liberal Government is why?

The Minister's responded by waxing eloquent about what a great job her government is doing with the temporary foreign workers file.

Tell that to the migrant workers who were abused and taken advantage of by crooked immigration consultants.

NDP MP Jenny Kwan slams government for lack of action against consultants exploiting migrant workers

NDP MP Jenny Kwan slams government for lack of action against consultants exploiting migrant workers

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FEDERAL NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship     Jenny Kwan on Friday noted that Canada has admitted more temporary foreign workers than immigrants since 2006. Migrant workers are desperate to seek opportunities to better their lives and that of their families. As a result, they are often subjected to abuse and exploitation.

Quebec's resources wear thin as wave of asylum seekers swells (Globe & Mail)

Quebec's resources wear thin as wave of asylum seekers swells (Globe & Mail)

A1-asylum03nw1.JPGThe asylum seekers arrive about a dozen by the hour at the end of a quiet country road in upstate New York, hopping out of taxis, extended passenger vans and private vehicles. They appear to range in age from seven months to 70 years, but they count more very young people than old.

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