FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Canadian Council for Refugees condemns the anti-immigrant and anti-refugee
positions in the Ontario Progressive Conservatives’ electoral platform, The
Road Ahead.
“Attacking immigrants and refugees is unfortunately a common tactic of political
parties facing electoral defeat,”said Kemi Jacobs, President. “Clearly,
the Conservatives are trying to win votes by whipping up xenophobia with
the predictable old stereotypes about foreigners abusing our programs and
threatening our security.”
The platform’s sections on immigrants and refugees are highly divisive and
simplistic, presenting newcomers as either “good people” (i.e. skilled immigrants
who are expected to serve Ontario’s needs), or “bad people” (criminals, terrorists,
abusers of various kinds).
The platform also irresponsibly promotes false information about current
realities, implying that people on welfare can sponsor immigrants (they can’t)
and that “illegal immigrants” have access to OHIP (they don’t).
According to The Road Ahead, the Ontario Conservatives plan to take over
security screening from the federal government. The document does not
explain how they plan to make this work, since at present there are no borders
between Ontario and other Canadian provinces.
“The chapter on immigration is called ‘Passport to Ontario.’ A better
name would be ‘Fortress Ontario’,” said Jacobs.
The Canadian Council for Refugees is counting on Ontarians to send a strong
message to the Conservatives that scapegoating refugees and immigrants is
NOT the path to electoral victory in Ontario.
For more information, please contact:
Kemi Jacobs, President (416) 588-6288 (ext. 202)
Janet Dench, Executive Director (514) 277-7223 (ext. 2)
