Canadian Council for Refugees E-Chronicle Vol. 4 #1, 1 April 2009 |
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Canadian Council for Refugees E-Chronicle Vol. 4 #1, 1 April 2009 Printer-friendly version Send to friend***
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The Palestinian refugees fled killings, kidnappings, torture and death threats in Iraq, but unlike Iraqi refugees have not been allowed into neighbouring countries to seek asylum. Last September, the UN issued a special flash appeal urging countries to offer resettlement to these stranded refugees. Last November, the CCR wrote urging Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney to respond favourably to the UN appeal. No reply has yet been received. In practice, the Canadian government is not resettling any of the Palestinian refugees through the government assistance program, although Canadian groups may respond through the private sponsorship program. For more information, see media release, http://ccrweb.ca/en/bulletin/09/03/25. For media coverage, see: Palestinians left out of refugee policy, advocates claim, The Toronto Star, 26 March 2009. http://www.thestar.com/article/608487
Here are some new and updated resources to help you take action:
For organizations - another way to take action:
Background information The previous Parliament voted to force the implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division. Both the House of Commons (in 2007) and the Senate (in 2008) approved Bill C-280, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act calling for the implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division. However, the bill did not become law because the House still needed to approve the amendments made by the Senate when the 2008 elections were called. The text of Bill C-291 is the same as the previous Bill C-280 as amended by the Senate. For more information on the Refugee Appeal Division and what you can do, see: http://www.ccrweb.ca/eng/campaigns/RADaction.htm Canada has been examined twice by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on its compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is currently due for its third examination. Despite the UN recommendations, many of the problems noted persist today. The CCR has written to ask the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to study these issues. Join the CCR in asking the Standing Committee to put refugee and immigrant children on their agenda. For a document summarizing the past comments of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and outstanding concerns, see: www.ccrweb.ca/documents/CRC2009EN.htm
On 4 June 1969, Canada signed the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugee Convention), 18 years after it was adopted by the United Nations. Canadians can be proud of the many accomplishments in protecting refugees over the past 40 years, but there is still a lot to do. For highlights of past successes and suggested actions, see 40th Anniversary of Canada signing the Refugee Convention (http://ccrweb.ca/files/40thanniversaryRefugeeConvention.pdf), a two-page factsheet. Or use the Publications order form - http://www.ccrweb.ca/documents/publicationsorderform.pdf - to order colour copies from the CCR office. 'Take Action' idea!: Why not use this factsheet and suggested actions as part of Refugee Rights Day in Canada, this April 4th?
In honour of this decision, April 4th is recognized as Refugee Rights Day in Canada. In 2009, the CCR invites you to use Refugee Rights Day to mark the 40th anniversary of the Refugee Convention in Canada using the theme ‘Recognizing success, Acting for change’. Forty years ago, in June 1969, Canada signed the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugee Convention). Canadians can be proud of the many accomplishments in protecting refugees over the past 40 years, but there is still a lot to do to ensure refugee rights are respected in Canada. Check the CCR’s Refugee Rights Day webpage at: http://www.ccrweb.ca/RRDay.htm for a brief history of accomplishments and for quick action ideas. We encourage you to use the ideas to promote refugee rights in your local area on or around April 4th. For a brochure on Refugee Rights Day and what the Singh decision means for refugees in Canada, see: http://www.ccrweb.ca/documents/RRDAYpamphletEN.pdf
Take advantage of this opportunity to:
The consultation is an excellent opportunity for all interested to exchange ideas on barriers refugees and newcomers face before, at and after their arrival in Canada. Consultation participants include refugees, immigrants, representatives of NGOs, youth advocates, government, UNHCR, academics and international guests. Topics to be addressed at the consultation include Housing and newcomers, Protracted refugee situations: the Canadian civil society response, Responding to refugees with medical needs, Combatting fraud targetting refugees and immigrants, Racialization of poverty, Children in detention, Temporary workers, Youth community orientation resources, and many more. Information about the consultation and online registration forms are now available at: http://www.ccrweb.ca/eng/about/meetings.htm Don’t forget to register before May 1st to take advantage of the reduced fees!
The CCR has just published background information on statelessness and Canada, as well as recommendations to the Canadian government to address statelessness (including a recommendation to ratify the 1954 statelessness convention!). Use it as a primer for private sponsorship groups, Members of Parliament, staff serving refugees and immigrants and community members. You’ll find it available online at http://www.ccrweb.ca/documents/statelessnessprimerEN.pdf
View the videos online at the links below, or on the CCR's transportation loans webpage at: http://www.ccrweb.ca/transportationloans.htm
Use this new video resource to take action on Saturday, April 4th – Refugee Rights Day. See the Refugee Rights Day webpage at: http://www.ccrweb.ca/RRDay.htm for suggestions to campaign to end the burden of transportation loans for refugees. ----- |
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The Canadian Council for Refugees is calling on the federal government to resettle some of the Palestinian refugees forced out of Iraq but denied asylum anywhere else. The refugees are stranded in dangerous camps on the Syria-Iraq border, waiting for a country to accept them for resettlement.
Bill C-291 on the implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division is now at second reading in Parliament. This is an important time to convince Members of Parliament to pass the bill quickly.
In 2009, the CCR invites you to mark the 40th anniversary of the Refugee Convention in Canada using the theme ‘Recognizing success, Acting for change’. 
April 4, 1985 was a milestone for refugee rights in Canada. On that day, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the right of refugee claimants in Canada to life, liberty and security of the person, and that claimants are therefore entitled to an oral hearing, in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. This ruling is known as the ‘Singh decision’.
From 28 - 30 May 2009, people concerned for refugee and immigrant rights from across Canada will be gathering in Quebec City for the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) Spring 2009 Consultation.
What does it mean to be stateless? Are there people who are stateless in Canada? What should Canada do to address statelessness?
The film Hidden Costs: Paying back the refugee transportation loan is available on YouTube. It has been divided into 3 video clips for easy-viewing access. Share them with friends, colleagues, your Member of Parliament and many others.