Sanctuary

Resolution number
17
Whereas
  1. Everyone in Canada has a Charter right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
  2. Everyone in a state which has ratified the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has an obligation to promote those rights.
  3. The Québec Charter of Rights and Freedoms places a duty on everyone to protect the life of another.
  4. The government of Canada has failed to implement the appeal on the merits for refugee claimants, depriving refused claimants of an important safeguard contained in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
  5. The Canadian government has itself acknowledged problems with the refugee determination system, which it has claimed to have addressed with recent changes to the nomination process for IRB members and the introduction of regulations regarding immigration consultants.
Therefore be it resolved

That the CCR:

  1. Recognize that recourse to sanctuary may be necessary to protect asylum seekers whose lives or security would be jeopardized if removed from Canada.
  2. Deplore the recent, first-known, violation of sanctuary in Canada by police acting with force and in apparent close cooperation with CBSA and other government officials.
  3. When sanctuary is necessary, encourage those providing it to inform the CCR membership, so that members may assist in encouraging the government to reconsider the situation that leads to sanctuary.
  4. Take appropriate action to encourage the government to reconsider the situation that leads to sanctuary.
  5. Re-affirm the need for the implementation of the appeal on the merits for refused refugee claimants.
  6. Call upon the Canadian government to continue to respect the historic right of sanctuary.
Subject
Appeal
Working Group
Inland Protection