CCR Resolutions Database

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  • Res.: 25
    Whereas:
    1. The Federal Court of Appeal recognized in the Cheung case that a woman fearing forced sterilization in P.R.C. is a member of a social group and a Convention refugee;
    2. In a subsequent decision, the Chan case, the Federal Court of Appeal maintained, with a dissent, that a man fearing forced sterilization is not a member of a social group and is not a Convention refugee;
    3. This latter decision is pending leave to appeal before the Supreme Court of Canada;
    4. This latter decision has the effect of restricting the scope of the definition of social group as developed by the Supreme Court in the Ward case;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR intervene in this case if leave is granted, subject to availability of funds.
  • Res.: 5
    Whereas:
    1. The intent of training is to improve the quality and accessibility of settlement service delivery for immigrants and refugees by improving the skills of settlement workers;
    2. The demand for training in all regions of the country is increasing;
    3. Training programs do not exist in most parts of the country, and where they do exist they are underfunded;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR play a leading role in advocating to the federal government for the expansion of existing and the creation of new funding programs for settlement training.

  • Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. The United Nations persuaded the Kurds of Northern Iraq to return to their homeland;
    2. The current food, medicine and electricity shortages as well as the "double embargo" are all combining to cause great suffering to the people of Iraqi Kurdistan, and to create sentiments of frustration and distrust of the allied forces among some of the Kurds;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR request the Department of External Affairs to urge the United Nations to ensure that adequate economic aid is given to the people of Iraqi Kurdistan to ensure that basic needs are met, thereby promoting greater overall stability in the region.
  • Res.: 18
    Whereas:
    1. Anti-personnel land mines that detonate on contact are indiscriminate weapons that remain hidden and lethal long after the end of a conflict;
    2. Anti-personnel mines have killed or mutilated tens of thousands of civilians and rendered large tracts of agricultural and pastoral land unusable, preventing the subsistence and economic development of rural populations;
    3. In most countries women and children are especially affected as direct victims through their agricultural and pastoral work or through death and disabling of their husbands and fathers;
    4. The 1981 United Nations Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby traps and other Devices has failed to prevent the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel mines but unfortunately international law permits the use of land mines to achieve "defensive" military objectives;
    5. The CCR adopted Resolution 14 at the Consultation in Winnipeg in November 1992 calling for Canada to ratify the Land Mines Protocol and to press other states of the United Nations to do likewise;
    6. Land mines remain an obstacle to the durable solution of voluntary repatriation for refugees;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That:

    1. The CCR join a growing number of organizations including Handicap International, Human Rights Watch, Medico International, Mines Advisory Group, Physicians for Human Rights and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation in a joint call for:
      1. An international ban on the use, production, stockpiling, and sale, transfer or export of antipersonnel mines;
      2. The establishment of an international fund, administered by the United Nations, to promote and finance landmine awareness, clearance and eradication programs worldwide;
      3. Countries responsible for the production and dissemination of anti-personnel mines to contribute to the international fund;
    2. The CCR call on the government of Canada to support and promote an international ban on the use, production, stockpiling, and sale, transfer or export of antipersonnel mines;
    3. The CCR urge the government of Canada to support and promote the establishment of an international fund, administered by the United Nations, to promote and finance landmine awareness, clearance and eradication programs worldwide;
    4. The CCR call on the government of Canada to urge countries responsible for the production and dissemination of anti-personnel mines to contribute to the international fund.
  • Res.: 28
    Whereas:
    1. The Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees is the only intergovernmental body in the U.N. system which has responsibility specifically for the international protection of refugees;
    2. The denial of fairness of refugee determination procedures can lead to the rejection of real refugees in error;
    3. Refugee determination procedures in signatory states to the Refugee Convention vary widely, and often do not provide for fairness in refugee determination;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the Canadian Council for Refugees calls on the Government of Canada and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies to request that the Executive Committee of the UNHCR approve and open for signature an international agreement on minimum procedural standards for considering refugee claims.
  • Res.: 3
    Whereas:
    1. Refugee claimants come to Canada seeking refuge from persecution;
    2. The psychological and physical health needs of refugees have been documented to be significant;
    3. Health has been defined by the World Health Organization and Health and Welfare Canada to be a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity and a fundamental human right;
    4. Health has been singled out by the United Nations Committee on Social and Cultural Rights as the most important priority under the Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights which Canada has ratified;
    5. Everyone under Canadian jurisdiction and remaining in Canada for completion of federal processing is in the care and protection of the Federal Government;
    6. The Federal Minister of Health recognises the emergency health needs of refugee claimants;
    7. Doctors are required under the medical ethics to provide health services to all in need;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That:

    1. The CCR urge the Federal Minister of Health to work with the provincial Ministers of Health to find an effective way to deliver equitable health services to all people living in Canada including refugee claimants;
    2. The CCR contact the Canadian Medical Association and the provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons and other professional health organizations to obtain policy positions on the insurance of health services delivery to ALL those requiring medical intervention;
    3. The CCR advocate that the Federal Minister of Health, in consultation with the CCR, strike a committee to advise federal and provincial ministers of health on the equitable delivery of health services and that members of this committee come from immigrant-serving NGO's, the Federal and Provincial Ministries of Health and Health Professionals.
  • Res.: 8
    Whereas:
    1. Increased violence against refugee women in camps, including rape and female genital mutilation practices, has been documented;
    2. Recent reports by Africa Watch document widespread rape in the refugee camps in North Eastern Kenya;
    3. The Somali community has on several occasions raised concern about the lack of security in refugee camps;
    4. There is very little or no funding for programs to provide physical protection to refugee women;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR write to:

    1. The Canadian government to urge that funds be allocated to UNHCR and relevant NGO's for programs providing physical protection to refugee women, and education and eradication of female genital mutilation, particularly in camps in North Eastern Kenya;
    2. The UNHCR and non-governmental organizations to urge that their workers return to live in the camps so that through their presence there will be better safety conditions in the camps.
  • Res.: 13
    Whereas:
    1. The Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan for the U.N. Commission for Human Rights of February 1993 clearly shows that there are serious human rights crises in Afghanistan and in the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan;
    2. Women and non-fundamentalists are subject to persecution and selective assassination by extremist fundamentalists in the refugee camps in Pakistan, with women and girls being denied employment and access to education;
    3. Aid to the Afghan refugees in the camps in Pakistan has been severely cut back;
    4. Afghan refugees represent 20 to 25% of all the refugees in the world but this is not reflected in Canadian resettlement efforts;
    5. Church and group sponsorship applications have been refused by Canadian visa officers in Pakistan and India, who claim that they do not meet the refugee definition, despite the massive violations of the refugees' human rights;
    6. Some Afghan refugee claimants have been refused by I.R.B. members who are not aware of the true situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    1. The CCR reaffirm the positions adopted in Resolution 7 of May 1993;
    2. The CCR call on the government and the UNHCR to use the Women at Risk program to assist Afghan women who are in need and to make visa officers aware of this program;
    3. The CCR call on the government to give special consideration to Afghan refugees for resettlement in Canada, recognizing their protection and resettlement needs in the light of the continued civil war.
  • Res.: 16
    Whereas:
    1. IRB Guidelines on women refugee claimants fearing gender-related persecution were issued in March 1993 by the chairperson pursuant to section 65(3) of the Immigration Act;
    2. IRB members are expected to use the Guidelines in applying the Convention refugee definition to ensure that women who fear gender persecution can be found to be refugees;
    3. The IRB Guidelines were distributed to all overseas visa posts as information;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR encourage:

    1. The adoption of these Guidelines in visa posts for use in overseas refugee selection;
    2. The department of Citizenship and Immigration to monitor the implementation of the Guidelines for overseas selection;
    3. The inclusion of the Guidelines in the training of visa officers to facilitate greater understanding of gender persecution.
  • Res.: 21
    Whereas:
    1. Irreparable damage has been done to the Somali people in Canada as a result of an explicitly racist, anti-islamic and anti-refugee report by A. Lelievre of the Intelligence Unit;
    2. The November 12 declaration of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Sergio Marchi, fails to respond adequately to the report and its implications in the community;
    3. Refugee communities remain vulnerable to scapegoating during times of severe economic recession, and therefore rely on government to deflect such attacks;
    4. This incident has had a particularly traumatizing impact on Somali refugee women, particularly single mothers, who have experienced increased harassment from welfare officers in recent months;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That:

    1. The CCR write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to demand a full enquiry with disclosure into the mandate of the Intelligence Unit, the mandate and history of the Welfare and Refugee Fraud (W.A.R.F.) project, and the extent to which other refugee communities have been singled out;
    2. The CCR demand that the Intelligence Unit cease the W.A.R.F. project and request the Minister to indicate what disciplinary action has been taken against the author of the offending report;
    3. The CCR write Ontario Liberal leader, the Honourable Lyn McLeod, to demand that she issue an apology to the Somali and refugee communities for her unsubstantiated allegations, which generated considerable negative publicity;
    4. The CCR complain to the Canadian Human Rights Commissioner concerning the actions of Lyn McLeod, the Immigration Intelligence Unit and the official responsible for the report, A. Lelievre;
    5. The CCR make or facilitate a complaint to the Canadian and/or Provincial Press Council for the unfounded and inflammatory articles by Moira Farrow in the Vancouver Sun.
    6. The CCR urge the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to institute a full investigation of the extent of racism and discrimination against visible minority people by Immigration officials in his department and develop plans for the elimination of racism in the department and that this plan include implementation of employment equity.
  • Res.: 26
    Whereas:
    1. 1.The CCR is still concerned with the quality and accessibility of legal counsel for refugee claimants;
    2. The CCR passed Resolution 21 at the May 1993 consultation concerning the disparity between provincial legal aid plans and Resolution 14 at the May 1992 consultation concerning Quebec legal aid plan, yet those concerns remain unaddressed;
    3. There is a Quebec Parliamentary Committee studying the delivery of the legal aid plan;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That:

    1. The CCR write the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and request that he consider direct funding to provincial legal aid plans to ensure adequate delivery of legal services to refugee claimants;
    2. The CCR write the appropriate boards or officials administering the various provincial legal aid plans and raise our concerns about the inadequate compensation for lawyers and/or the lack of necessary preparation time for hearings and judicial review;
    3. The CCR express its concerns to the Quebec Parliamentary Committee prior to November 27, 1993 about the extremely low compensation, lack of sufficient preparation time for hearings and judicial review paid to Quebec lawyers when compared with Ontario or British Columbia.
  • Res.: 1
    Whereas:
    1. The previous government has not provided satisfactory responses to many resolutions and concerns of the CCR;
    2. The recently elected government has not had the opportunity to address these issues;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the Executive of the CCR request a meeting with the Hon. Sergio Marchi to present for discussion a prioritized list of significant concerns (including refugee levels, need for consultation, Vegreville, SMIS, AAP, IRB appointments, appeal) in order to communicate the CCR position on these urgent matters.
  • Res.: 6
    Whereas:
    1. 1.Training is an essential ingredient for the delivery of quality immigrant and refugee services;
    2. There is no centralized or comprehensive documentation of models and resources, although training opportunities and resources exist in some areas of Canada;
    3. The CCR has identified the area of settlement training as a specific focus for the 1994 Spring Consultation;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR gather and document information on the current settlement training opportunities and resources available across Canada which could be used as a resource tool for conference workshops.
  • Res.: 11
    Whereas:
    1. The UN sees "repatriation" as the preferred solution and has established the "no fly zone" in Iraqi Kurdistan as a precedent-setting venture;
    2. It is of extreme importance that this program be carried out successfully, for the sake not only of the Kurds of Northern Iraq, but also of other minority groups who may find themselves in similar crises in the future;
    3. The key weakness of the current program is that it does not provide a long term guarantee of protection for the inhabitants of Iraqi Kurdistan. The current fragile state of protection serves as a grave deterrent to resettlement and, if lifted, could lead to yet another mass exodus;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request the Department of External Affairs to urge the United Nations Security Council to explore measures to fully guarantee long-term protection for the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.

  • Res.: 19
    Whereas:
    1. The Canadian government is participating in UN discussions preparing a conference document for the International Conference on Population and Development to take place in Cairo, Summer 1994;
    2. Non-governmental discussions tend to focus on family planning and the environment, although a significant part of the conference business involves migration and refugee affairs;
    3. The document so far reflects a shift from the promise of safeguards for the rights and dignity of refugees and migrants expressed in the 1994 Mexico Declaration to a bald assertion of an absolute right of states to control the entry and residence of persons onto their territory;
    4. The need to uphold the right of asylum was declared by all governments at the Vienna Conference on Human Rights in June 1993 and was declared by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to her Executive Committee in October 1993;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR and its members urge MPs and Canadian government officials to work to ensure that the Conference documents fully reinforce the right to asylum and reinforce the need for safeguards for the rights of refugees and migrants at borders and elsewhere on state territory.
  • Res.: 29
    Whereas:
    1. The Sub-Committee of the Whole on International Protection of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) meets in closed session, in the absence of non-governmental organizations;
    2. The "friends of the rapporteur" which drafts the decisions and conclusions to be approved by the Executive Committee of the UNHCR also meets in closed session, in the absence of non-governmental organizations;
    3. The Government of Canada participates in both the Sub-Committee of the Whole on International Protection and the committee called "friends of the rapporteur";
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR call on Government of Canada to bring to both the Sub-Committee of the Whole on International Protection and the "friends of the rapporteur" a request that non-governmental organizations be allowed to be present and to participate in the workings of both these committees.
  • Res.: 4
    Whereas:
    1. 1.Refugee claimants come to Canada seeking refuge from persecution;
    2. Refugee claimants have the same needs of shelter, income and employment, education, health and entertainment as all other people;
    3. The World Health Organization and Health and Welfare Canada agree that the fundamental condition for good health are peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable eco-system, sustainable resources, social justice and equity;
    4. Canada has signed the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR advocate to the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship and the Provincial Premiers for:

    1. The equality with Canadian citizens of access to health, education, shelter and social services for refugee claimants;
    2. The guarantee of the provisions and access to rights and freedoms as outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to all persons in Canada regardless of their citizenship or status.
  • Res.: 23
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR passed resolution #11 and #18 at the May 1992 Consultation;
    2. The CCR is still concerned with the quality and the independence of the CRDD members;
    3. To be suitable Board members must have positive attitudes towards people of diverse cultures backgrounds and should not stereotype;
    4. Board members ought to be sensitive to the unique needs of refugee women claimants and be aware of the special forms of persecution directed at women;
    5. The previous government addressed part only of the concern by advertising vacancies and allowing for disciplining and removal of members;
    6. A political culture of cynicism and callousness towards refugees has developed in some regions and among some board members;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR contact the new Minister of Immigration and request that:

    1. Resolution #11 and #18 be implemented and a continuous program of sensitivity training be established;
    2. The CCR and appropriate regional Bars be involved in the review and confirmation of continuing contracts of members;
    3. The IRB develop a continuous review of Board members who are unsuitable and develop a procedure to remove or discipline such members.
  • Res.: 24
    Whereas:
    1. In December 1988 the government promised refugee claimants in the Refugee Claimant Backlog a swift and simple resolution of their cases;
    2. Since 1989 the CCR and its members have repeatedly responded to evidence of stress and misery resulting from this protracted process by calls to the previous government to allow the persons to proceed to landing;
    3. Some persons have been denied landing because their spouse has a minor criminal infraction;
    4. Almost 5 years later in November 1993 there are persons remaining in Canada whose status has not yet been resolved;
    5. A person has the right to have such a civil suit resolved in a reasonable time, which is less than 5 years;
    6. Many persons remain under constant threat of removal from a country where they have become established because their situation has not been finally resolved by the federal government;
    Therefore be it resolved:
    That the CCR and its members now call upon the federal government to suspend removal of persons in the refugee claimant backlog and allow them and their families to be processed for landing in Canada.