OPEN LETTER to Immigration, Foreign Affairs and Public Safety Minister on new immigration measures needed during the pandemic

First, I urge that an automatic 6-month extension/renewal of temporary work permits and study visas be given to those here on a temporary status. This would reduce the amount of strain not only on IRCC, but additionally provide these temporary residents with a sense a relief during this difficult time. This automatic extension/renewal would only need to be in place until the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. After this period the regular extension/renewal application process could resume once again.
This temporary measure would encompass those with a visitor visa, study permit or a work permit. According to your government website, as of April 2nd, the estimated processing time for renewing these permits is as follows:
• Study permit: 120 days
• Visitor Extension: 103 days
• Work permit: 89 days

April 07, 2020

The Honourable Marco Mendicino, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

The Honourable Francois-Phillipe Champagne, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

The Honourable Bill Blair
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Open Letter: New Immigration Measures Needed During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ministers Mendicino, Champagne and Blair,

I write to you today to address concerns I have on several immigration matters in the face of COVID-19. I recognize these are unprecedented times, and the government has been put in a position where they must revaluate past procedures in response to this pandemic. Matters of immigration are of no exception.

First, I urge that an automatic 6-month extension/renewal of temporary work permits and study visas be given to those here on a temporary status. This would reduce the amount of strain not only on IRCC, but additionally provide these temporary residents with a sense a relief during this difficult time. This automatic extension/renewal would only need to be in place until the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. After this period the regular extension/renewal application process could resume once again.

This temporary measure would encompass those with a visitor visa, study permit or a work permit. According to your government website, as of April 2nd, the estimated processing time for renewing these permits is as follows:

• Study permit: 120 days

• Visitor Extension: 103 days

• Work permit: 89 days

These projections assume that all applications are done online, and it is noted that it would take longer if people are only able to submit by paper. It is then indicated on the Processing Times webpage that “Processing times may not accurately reflect any disruptions caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)”.

During this unprecedented period, I believe any action that could help reduce both strain for department officials and anxiety for the public should be considered. The proposed solution would reduce administrative pressure for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and provide much relief to those seeking to have their permit renewed during this difficult time.

Secondly, as you know, Humanitarian and Compassionate applicants and Permanent Resident applicants who do not have their stage 1 approval (Eligibility) will not be able to apply to get their work permit. This is a huge roadblock for them to get coverage through health insurance and other benefits. For example, in British Columbia, it can take an upwards of up to three months after your arrival date for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) to start covering your health care costs. I have cases that have come directly to my office citing this problem. During COVID-19 it is a terrible time for individuals not to have coverage for medical services as private insurance coverage is extremely costly. The last thing we want during this pandemic is for people without MSP coverage to avoid accessing the health care system because of cost.

Therefore, I strongly recommend that all PR applications are expedited during this time so that people can have sufficient access to any healthcare they may require. Staffing resources from work permits/study visas extensions/renewals could be redirected to assist in the processing of these applications.

Lastly, I would like to address the subject of deportations, as this intertwines with immigration issues. I am aware that deportation orders are still being given to individuals and deportation dates are being set. There are several concerns I have with regard to this. An obvious factor would be the current travel restrictions that are in place, and the dangers of flying internationally. Flights are currently limited, and individuals forced to travel are put at a heightened risk of contacting COVID-19. Additionally, the functioning of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) is also being impacted by COVID-19. According to the government's website, "All in person hearings and mediations, other than detention reviews, are postponed effective Tuesday March 17,

2020 through Sunday, April 5, 2020. The IRB will be regularly monitoring developments and an update to this notice will be communicated on or before Sunday, April 5, 2020. Postponed hearings and mediations will be rescheduled promptly upon the resumption of full IRB operations." It is absolutely understandable that health and safety precautions should be taken and recommendations for social distancing from medical health officers should be respected. As such, if hearings are delayed, then deportations should also be suspended. It would not be logical to proceed with deportation orders as usual if the appeal process is delayed during this time. I therefore strongly recommend that deportation orders be immediately suspended.

I recognize this is a difficult time for the functioning within IRCC and CBSA, and I believe these suggestions will help to manage these cases and alleviate further stress for everyone involved. I urge that you action on these suggestions as time is of the essence in these unprecedented times.

I look forward to your response on these important matters. Sincerely,

Jenny Kwan
MP, Vancouver East
NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship NDP Critic for Housing
NDP Deputy Critic for Health

Cc: The Hon. Chrystia Freeland

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City News: Demonstrators hold rally for Hong Kong residents facing PR processing backlog

The rally is organized by the Hong Kong Pathway Alliance. Similar events are also taking place in Calgary and Toronto.

The pathway allows eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada, including people who studied or worked here, to apply for PR.

People here say they have waited for years and still do not know when their applications will be finished.

“Right now I’m stuck in limbo. It’s been a year and a half. I haven’t heard back from the IRCC regarding my application, and we’re continuously arguing with, we’re continuously hoping that IRCC sees our cases,” said Vikrambir Singh, another demonstrator.

“There’s not just me, there’s 40,000 plus applications that are stuck in limbo, and we don’t know when they’re going to get processed.”

They also point to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) processing time tool, which now suggests new applicants could wait more than 10 years for their PR.

The Immigration Minister recently told Parliament that there have been more than 46,000 applications under the Hong Kong PR pathways, and just over 13,000 had arrived.

“And the minister’s solution is, “don’t apply under the lifeboat scheme”. What is she even talking about? That scheme was specifically designed for Hong Kongers, said MP Jenny Kwan, representing Vancouver East for the NDP.

“So, it is absolutely outrageous that she would renege on the government’s promise in suggesting that the Hong Kongers should apply under a different stream. It is absolutely unacceptable.”

The federal government introduced special measures for Hong Kong residents in 2020, after China imposed the national security law in Hong Kong.

*Click image or link to read or watch the TV news story - https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/06/07/demonstrators-rally-hong-kong-pr-processing-backlog/

Toronto Star: Carney government testing use of AI in prisons to create profile reports of offenders

OTTAWA—The Canadian government is considering the use of artificial intelligence to save time creating influential assessment profile reports of offenders as they go to federal prisons, and is running a small-scale trial to test it, the Star has learned.

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Mentioned in lengthy documents tabled in Parliament last month and confirmed by Correctional Service Canada (CSC), the test run comes as the Carney government tries to ramp up AI adoption, including with billions in a national strategy released this week.

But the prison trial, which CSC says has not yet been used in real cases, is raising concerns from AI experts, criminal defence lawyers and the federal NDP’s public safety critic, who argue a widespread adoption could lead to crucial errors, exacerbate racial biases and put offenders and victims at risk.

Criminal profile reports, as they are called, are detailed “foundational documents” prepared by CSC staff during a prisoner’s intake process that identify risks and play a role in major decisions like access to programs and likelihood of parole.

Drawing from scores of official documents, they include details about an offender’s criminal history, the circumstances of their crimes, patterns of violence or behavioural, mental health and addiction issues, family and social background, trauma history, education and employment records, and even victim impact statements.

“This is what defines your offence cycle,” criminal defence lawyer Nora Demnati said of those reports. “It will have an impact on everything else that comes.”

That’s why the Carney government should slow down and consult widely, including with the CSC union, its lawyers and the Privacy Commissioner of Canada before going further, said NDP MP Jenny Kwan, the party’s public safety critic. Neither the Union of Safety and Justice Employees or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner have been consulted yet, they told the Star.

Kwan warned of a multitude of legal concerns that go both ways and can have a “cascading impact”: Violating the rights of inmates if mistakes are added to reports, on one hand, or hurting victims and prison staff if crucial information is missed by the AI summaries, on the other.

“When you have those kinds of risks associated with correctional policing matters, you can imagine what the huge ramifications might be,” Kwan told the Star. “You could potentially compromise people’s legal rights.”

*Click image or link to read the news story - https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/carney-government-testing-use-of-ai-in-prisons-to-create-profile-reports-of-offenders/article_ce33a6c9-794a-423c-884f-ace1e91872e2.html#tncms-source=login

Canadian Press: Activists call on feds to put pressure on Israel over treatment of Gaza aid flotilla

Canadian activists detained by Israel last month while taking part in an aid flotilla trying to reach Gaza say Canada isn’t doing enough to call out treatment by Israeli officials that Ottawa has called appalling.

While Israel has rejected claims of abuse, flotilla participant Ehab Lotayef said Wednesday Israeli officials beat him on the chest and ribs, put him in uncomfortable positions for long periods and slashed his hand when he tried to help a fellow detainee.

“We felt that we were let down by Canada before anybody else, to be honest, because the Canadian government knew all that was happening,” Lotayef told a news conference on Parliament Hill.

“When we needed them was when we were being tortured — and the whole world knew that that was happening.”

Activist flotillas have tried repeatedly to reach the Gaza Strip to draw attention to tight restrictions on humanitarian supplies for Palestinians. Israel has intercepted these boats, often in international waters.

Lotayef was one of 12 Canadians among 420 flotilla activists detained by Israeli authorities last month. Their detention gained international notoriety when Israel’s Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself taunting the detained activists.

*Click image or link to read the news story - https://cheknews.ca/activists-call-on-feds-to-put-pressure-on-israel-over-treatment-of-gaza-aid-flotilla-1328346/