CCR Resolutions Database

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  • Eligibility for HRSDC programming

    Res.: 4
    Whereas:
    1. The government of Canada has repeatedly expressed concern for the under- employment of skilled newcomers.
    2. Many highly trained newcomers must work at survival jobs in order to support their families.
    3. People who work more than 20 hours a week are excluded from Employment Assistance programs funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR write to the Minister of HRSDC urging that under-employed newcomers be eligible for employment services regardless of the number of hours’ work per week if they are working outside of their sphere of expertise.

  • Resettlement, durable solutions and signatory countries

    Res.: 9
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR adopted Resolution 5, Dec. 1999 drawing CIC’s attention to the inconsistency of interpretation of ‘durable solution’ and calling for an interpretation that specified that temporary protection and eligibility for future refugee determination do not constitute a ‘durable solution’.
    2. CIC’s manual chapter OP5 fails to provide clarity to the interpretation of ‘durable solution’, and continues to blend the concepts of ‘signatory countries’ and ‘fair and effective protection regimes’.
    3. The language used in OP5 does not conform to the regulatory provisions in IRPA.
    4. CIC created the policy in OP5 of ‘signatory countries’ as a limitation to access the Canadian resettlement stream even though IRPA provides no such limitation.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge CIC to abandon the use of concepts of ‘signatory countries’ and ‘fair and effective protection regimes’ and focus its attention on the availability of a durable solution for the individual applicant.
    2. Urge that OP5 be amended to conform to IRPA and to set out that there is no reasonable prospect of a durable solution in all those situations where it has been improperly applied, and in particular, those situations where: a)    a refugee claim has been made in the country where the person is located and rejected.

       

       b)    the determination of a refugee claim in the country where the person is located is subject to undue delays.

       

       c)    a refugee claim is pending in the country where the person is located and likely to be rejected for the reason that the concept of protection is applied more narrowly by that country than by Canada.

       

       d)    the person has been denied access to the local refugee determination regime because of the person’s own prior irrevocable waiver of the right to access the refugee determination system.
    3. Request that CIC:
      a) make it clear to sponsors and the applicant when CIC believes that applicants are in a country where local integration may represent a durable solution.
      b) indicate concretely what the proposed durable solution is.

       

       
      c) allow the sponsors and the applicant to rebut that presumption.
    4. Urge its members to litigate failed resettlement cases where ‘signatory country’ was the issue.

  • Ethnic cleansing in Darfur (Sudan)

    Res.: 14
    Whereas:

    The government of Sudan is engaged in a policy of ethnic cleansing against the population of the Darfur region, as it has done in the past against other ethnic groups in the country.

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urge the Canadian government to:

    1. Send a strong protest to the government of Sudan condemning its deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing in Darfur region and requesting the government of Sudan to grant full and unhindered access to Darfur region by international organizations.
    2. Raise the issue of ethnic cleansing in Darfur at the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) and other international for a.
    3. Explore the possibility of joining in a fact finding trip to Darfur region.

  • Rejected Palestinian refugee claimants from Lebanon

    Res.: 19
    Whereas:
    1. Palestinian refugee claimants from Lebanon have faced an inconsistent and uninformed decision making process which has resulted in the rejection of some deserving refugees claims.
    2. Registered and unregistered Palestinian refugees from Lebanon face systematic discrimination and human rights abuses.
    3. Palestinians may face persecution by non-state actors.
    4. The stateless Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, often in 56 year old refugee camps, are not accorded the host state’s protection, are denied any possibility of citizenship and receive no direct and inviolable international protection.
    5. Many of the Palestinian refugees from Lebanon have lived in Canada for over two years and in that time established themselves in Canadian society.  
    6. Resolution 12, Nov. 03 called for recourses in Canada for stateless persons.  
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Inform CIC of the well-documented evidence of systematic human rights violations, the recognition by certain IRB members of said violations as persecution and the inconsistent decision-making on Palestinian claims.
    2. Call on CIC to facilitate the H&C process, in light of the unique circumstances faced by stateless Palestinian refugees from Lebanon, to allow the refused refugee claimants to be granted permanent resident status in Canada.
    3. Call on CIC to collaborate with the Palestinian community in Canada to resolve the problems of ID requirements that may be faced by stateless Palestinian refugees.

  • Leaving newborn children in camps

    Res.: 2
    Whereas:
    1. Communities are seeing many incidents where sponsored refugees are leaving newborn children behind.
    2. Some children are dying as a result of these decisions.
    3. These decisions are being made based on information circulating in-country that reporting these newborns will result in their travel arrangements being cancelled.
    4. Information on how to report and procedures for reporting do not always reflect the context of refugee applicants regarding access.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urge CIC to:

    1. Develop a policy which clearly states that reporting newborn children will not jeopardize a family’s passage to Canada.
    2. Communicate this policy to all embassies and UNHCR requiring that this policy be broadcast throughout the refugee population.
    3. Distribute this policy to refugee support systems in Canada for dissemination in ethnocultural communities.
    4. Facilitate a variety of avenues in which to report newborn children and ensure that applicants receive such information.

  • Professionalism

    Res.: 7
    Whereas:
    1. National Settlement Sector occupational competencies do not exist.
    2. No certification/accreditation body presently regulates settlement as a profession.
    3. Professionals in this sector provide services at par with other social service providers.
    4. There is an increasing burden on Settlement Practitioners to provide varied and in-depth services meeting provincial/federal reporting, evaluation and accountability requirements.  
    5. CIC has promoted the notion of comparable services across provinces and regions.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR, in collaboration with other sector organizations, seek funding from appropriate sources and contingent upon securing appropriate resources, undertake a feasibility study on Professional Certification within the settlement sector.

  • Guidelines for conduct of hearings

    Res.: 23
    Whereas:
    1. The IRB has implemented new guidelines related to the conduct of hearings;
    2. Many of the provisions contained in these guidelines will result in a denial of refugee claimants' right to be heard and right to counsel;
    3. The IRB has implemented these guidelines in a clear attempt to increase the efficiency of the Board without consideration of the negative impact these guidelines will have on claimants' ability to get a fair hearing;
    4. The CCR has previously passed a resolution (15, Nov. 1998) on video-conferencing of refugee hearings;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon the IRB to:

    1. Withdraw the requirement that the Refugee Protection Officer or Member examine a claimant prior to the claimant's counsel.
    2. Withdraw the ability of the IRB to schedule hearings without regard to counsel's calendars.
    3. Direct Members not to impose a video-conferencing hearing on a claimant in the face of a claimant's objection.
    4. Amend the guidelines to delete the direction to Board members to restrict the length and content of a claimant’s counsel’s submissions.
    5. Add clear guidelines on the treatment of vulnerable claimants in the Guidelines on the Conduct of Hearings.

  • Family reunification for children with protected person status

    Res.: 28
    Whereas:
    1. The reunification of families continues to be a serious problem for refugees in Canada;
    2. No financial support requirement need be satisfied in the resettlement of protected persons;
    3. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, children who are granted "protected person" status in Canada are not permitted to include their parents and siblings, either abroad or in Canada, in their applications to be landed as "protected persons";
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to amend the Regulations [R. 1(3)] so that "family member" of a "protected person" includes the parent and siblings of a "protected person" who is a minor.

  • Relations with First Nations communities

    Res.: 1
    Whereas:
    1. The immigrant and refugee sector has made little attempt to create meaningful linkages with Canada's First Nation communities.
    2. Non-aboriginal Canadians (including immigrants and refugees) have been beneficiaries of Canada's policies that have discriminated against Aboriginal communities;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call on its members to sensitize themselves on the issues facing First Nations communities and explore ways of having meaningful dialogue with these communities.

  • Social Insurance Numbers

    Res.: 6
    Whereas:
    1. Homeless immigrants and refugees are a vulnerable population;
    2. HRDC will not issue Social Insurance Numbers without immigration documents and CIC will not issue permanent residence cards without a Social Insurance Number.
    3. Immigrants cannot travel without a permanent resident card after December 31, 2003.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge HRDC to set up a process to work with homeless and other vulnerable immigrants to obtain Social Insurance Numbers.
    2. Urge CIC to extend the deadline for permanent resident cards until December 2004.

  • Dadaab and Kakuma

    Res.: 11
    Whereas:
    1. There are more than 120,000 refugees in the Dadaab camps and 86,000 in Kakuma refugee camp from several different African countries who have been resident there for up to 14 years;
    2. Peace processes are underway in the region, which have potential implications to refugees such as possible reduction of services and closure of camps;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the UNHCR to ensure that conducive conditions exist before beginning any voluntary repatriation of refugees from the camps.
    2. Urge the UNHCR to continue to promote resettlement as a durable solution for these refugees.
    3. Encourage the Canadian government to continue to actively assist the UNHCR in promoting resettlement as a durable solution for these vulnerable populations;
    4. Encourage the Canadian government to increase funding to the UNHCR and WFP programs and services in the camps.

  • Detention on grounds of ID

    Res.: 16
    Whereas:
    1. Many refugee claimants lack identity documents upon arrival;
    2. International standards stipulate that people must not be penalized for lack of ID;
    3. International guidelines on detention stipulate that undocumented refugee claimants should not normally be detained;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call on the government of Canada (CIC and IRB) to adhere to international standards with respect to detention of refugee claimants, and to ensure that refugee claimants not be detained for more time than is required to conduct initial enquiries as to the person's identity. Ascertaining a person's identity should not be dependent on an ability to produce an identity document.

  • Work permits

    Res.: 21
    Whereas:
    1. Most refugee claimants have no financial source other than their own work. They arrive in Canada with no money and have no family or friends in Canada to assist them financially. They are consequently highly vulnerable and desperate;
    2. Refugee claimants cannot receive a work permit without first being medically cleared. It takes a minimum of 2 months from the time a doctor sends the medical results to CIC to the time that CIC actually enters the medical results in the CIC computer system;
    3. Once the medical results are entered into the CIC system and a work permit application is filed with CPC-Vegreville it takes another 2 to 3 months before Vegreville issues the work permit;
    4. Until a work permit is issued, refugee claimants are ineligible for Social Insurance Numbers which, in turn, prevents them from accessing other community services;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Write to CIC to request that CPC-Vegreville be instructed to give the processing of refugee claimants' work permits a priority in order to avoid an extended period of undue hardship and vulnerability; and that the work permits issued be for a minimum of one year.
    2. Write to CIC to request an increase in resources to CPC-Vegreville and to medical services to allow for priority processing of work permit applications.
    3. Send copies of these letters to the relevant provincial authorities.
    4. Request that CPC-Vegreville be instructed to stop the practice of setting an arbitrary date for leaving Canada under the Conditions of Issue.

  • DNA and evidence of parent-child relationship

    Res.: 26
    Whereas:

    The definition of "dependent child" in IRPA, restricting "dependent child" to "biological" or "adopted child" may result in greater recourse to DNA testing, which is intrusive and possibly harmful to the best interest of children;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to develop guidelines for immigration and visa officers to accept uncontradicted affidavit evidence by parents and third parties as evidence of relationship in the absence of birth certificates, before requesting DNA testing.

  • Continued work on trafficking

    Res.: 4
    Whereas:
    1. CCR passed Resolution 24 in December 2001 and subsequently has held regional workshops and a national conference to explore the issues domestically.
    2. The Conference identified data collection, education and awareness-raising as key priorities.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge Canadian Heritage/Status of Women Canada to support the implementation and the recommendations from the National Conference on Trafficked Women and Children.
    2. Urge to the Federal Inter-Departmental Working Group to include CCR in the discussions on trafficked persons.

  • Work permits

    Res.: 9
    Whereas:
    1. Canada issued over 87,000 temporary work permits last year;
    2. People living on temporary work permits are often in precarious and unstable situations;
    3. Many people living on work permits will eventually become landed in Canada;
    4. People living on temporary work permits are all contributing community members and paying taxes;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge CIC to expand eligibility to settlement services to those living on work permits.
    2. Undertake to examine the issues of, needs of and work being done with people living on temporary work permits.

  • Refugee resettlement targets

    Res.: 14
    Whereas:
    1. CCR is celebrating 25 years of private sponsorship in Canada;
    2. Canada's resettlement targets, including for private sponsorship, have largely remained unchanged for the past 10 years, even though overall immigration targets have increased;
    3. An increase in overall resettlement targets reflects a commitment to refugee resettlement and may lead to an increase in resource allocation to resettlement processing.
    4. CCR has consistently maintained the three principles of private sponsorship; partnership, additionality and naming;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Canadian Government to set resettlement targets at a minimum of 8% of overall immigration targets, while respecting the private sponsorship principle of additionality;
    2. Work together with the SAH representatives to the NGO-Government Committee on the Private Sponsorship of Refugees to negotiate annual private sponsorship targets with CIC.

  • Trafficking in persons - access to legal status

    Res.: 19
    Whereas:
    1. Canada is a party to the Palermo Protocol;
    2. CCR passed Resolution 24 in December 2001 and subsequently has held regional workshops and a national conference to explore the issues domestically.
    3. It was identified that a serious barrier exists for trafficked persons, in particular women and children, seeking assistance due to lack of access to legal status in Canada;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Call on the Government of Canada to expand the definition of protected persons to include trafficked persons.
    2. Call on the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to urgently develop a regulatory class.
    3. Call on CIC to give trafficked persons special consideration under H&C, and to accompany this with a regulatory stay.
    4. Insist that these measures not be tied to providing testimony and not be punitive.
    5. Call on CIC to give trafficked persons access to Interim Federal Health (IFH) benefits, work permits and legal aid.
    6. Call on the IRB to address the special circumstances of trafficked persons in the gender guidelines.
    7. Call on the federal and provincial governments to ensure that separated children have guardians assigned to them.

  • Processing fees

    Res.: 24
    Whereas:
    1. All protected persons, including children, applying as principal applicants for permanent residents must pay the $550 processing fee within180 days;
    2. This $550 fee is a significant and sometimes insurmountable barrier for many protected persons;
    3. In 1994 the CCR adopted a resolution condemning all cost-recovery fees for landing applications for refugees and their dependants;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR ask that the regulations be amended to waive the processing fee for all protected persons in Canada, consistent with the waiver of this fee for overseas protected persons.

  • Best interests of the child and deportation of a parent

    Res.: 29
    Whereas:
    1. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted with concern in its recent report on Canada that the "best interests" principle as a primary consideration in all decisions affecting children is not being observed by administrative and judicial authorities in many areas, including in decisions on deportation;
    2. The CCR adopted a resolution in November 2002 calling for guidelines on the best interests of the child;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to develop guidelines for his officers to ensure that the best interests of children affected by a deportation decision are given "primary consideration" as required by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and that, for greater certainty, on public policy grounds, there is a presumption that deportation of the parent of a minor child in Canada would not be in the child's best interest.

  • Youth involvement

    Res.: 2
    Whereas:
    1. Youth comprise a significant and often overlooked portion of the population.
    2. Youth are the leaders of tomorrow;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR encourage the involvement and participation of youth at every CCR consultation by designating a local youth organizing committee and furthermore that the CCR support youth participation.

  • Double/triple reporting - ARS and ICAMS

    Res.: 7
    Whereas:
    1. The government of Canada made a commitment to Canadians for efficient program management in the document "Results for Canadians";
    2. The government of Canada made a commitment to the Voluntary Sector for rational reporting systems in the Voluntary Sector Accord and its Code of Good Practice on Funding;
    3. LINC providers in Ontario are being forced into a triple reporting structure because CIC's two computer systems, the regional ARS and the national iCAMS, are incompatible and unreliable;
    4. ISAP providers in Ontario are being forced into double reporting because NHQ and Ontario Region do not have the same reporting requirements;
    5. Both LINC and ISAP providers are forced to input large amounts of client data into systems with no capacity to assist program management;
    6. CIC provides no realistic support for this administrative burden;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That CCR write to Treasury Board and CIC urging them to:

    1. Stop the implementation of iCAMS until the issues between CIC national and CIC region have been resolved.
    2. Review the iCAMS system in light of the new Voluntary Sector agreement to ensure that it conforms with the Code of Good Practices on Funding.
    3. Take into consideration CCR's previous resolutions from May 2001(Res. 1), Dec. 2000 (Res. 16) and May 1999 (Res. 4).

  • Statelessness

    Res.: 12
    Whereas:
    1. Stateless people are in a vulnerable situation because they have no protection from a state;
    2. IRPA does not specify stateless persons as a group needing protection or eligible for landing on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Strongly urge the Minister to amend IRPA to include statelessness as a ground for protection (both in Canada and for resettlement).
    2. In the alternative, use the authority of subsection 25(1) to establish "protection of stateless persons" as a public policy category for permanent residence and amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to include statelessness as a ground for resettlement to Canada.
    3. As an interim measure urge CIC to amend the Immigration Manual, Chapter IP5, to include statelessness as a factor for landing in H&C applications. ID requirements and establishment requirements should be waived in view of the special hardships faced by stateless persons.

  • Bonds required for refugee claimants in Toronto and elsewhere

    Res.: 17
    Whereas:
    1. The majority of refugee claimants in detention in Toronto and elsewhere are required to pay a bond to be released;
    2. Most refugee claimants do not have friends or relatives to pay the bond;
    3. The bail program in Toronto is very slow and does not accept all claimants.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR ask CIC and the IRB to release refugee claimants who satisfy their identity requirements, without a bond.

  • Change of venue

    Res.: 22
    Whereas:
    1. The Montreal Immigration and Refugee Board has been routinely refusing to grant any change of venue to refugee claimants despite proof of hardship;
    2. The refusals of requests for changes of venue have caused hardships for refugee claimants;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Call on the Immigration and Refugee Board to ensure that in all of its regions a request for change of venue not be rejected where a claimant can show that hardship would result from such a rejection.
    2. Call on the IRB and CIC to allow persons to choose their place of hearing where hardship would result from a refusal to grant this choice.