HANSARD: Order Questions on immigration processing backlog
HANSARD: With Supreme Court ruling, will Liberals expand the exemption in the Safe Country Agreement for people fearing gender-based persecution?
Debates of June 16th, 2023, 11:25 a.m.
House of Commons Hansard #215 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session
House of Commons Hansard #215 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Oral Questions
Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
Oral Questions
Jenny Kwan Vancouver East, BC
NDP
Madam Speaker, people fearing gender-based persecution are adversely affected by the safe third country agreement. Today, the Supreme Court of Canada stated that equality rights are just as important as every other human right. Even the government's lawyers argued that an urgent exemption for migrant women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the safe third country agreement is needed.
Will the Liberals do the right thing and expand the exemption in the safe third country agreement for people fearing gender-based persecution?
Sean Fraser Minister of Immigration
Liberal
Madam Speaker, people fearing gender-based persecution are adversely affected by the safe third country agreement. Today, the Supreme Court of Canada stated that equality rights are just as important as every other human right. Even the government's lawyers argued that an urgent exemption for migrant women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the safe third country agreement is needed.
Will the Liberals do the right thing and expand the exemption in the safe third country agreement for people fearing gender-based persecution?
Sean Fraser Minister of Immigration
Liberal
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her advocacy on behalf of vulnerable people in Canada and around the world.
Of course, members will have seen by now that the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the safe third country agreement, recognizing that Canada and the United States have the ability to make decisions to monitor and control the flow of people who seek asylum in Canada in a way that respects the need to be compassionate toward the world's vulnerable but also to have an orderly and regular migration system.
To the extent that we want to look for ways to improve the agreement over the years ahead, we will continually monitor this particular issue to ensure that those fleeing violence who are vulnerable and may not have the opportunity to seek protection elsewhere have the ability to have their claims considered in Canada.
