Canadian Council for Refugees E-Chronicle, Vol. 10 no. 10, 8 March 2016

CCR Chronicle

Canadian Council for Refugees E-Chronicle
Vol. 10 #10, 8 March 2016

In this issue:

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  1. Refugees Welcome Here: Refugee Rights Day 2016



The Canadian Council for Refugees, Amnesty International Canada and Amnistie Internationale are embarking on a pan-Canadian public awareness campaign to make Canada more welcoming.

The CCR encourages people to work together in local communities to mark Refugee Rights Day (April 4) by:

  • Meeting with their local MP
  • Organizing panel discussions

The focus is on refugee family reunification; refugees from other regions (in addition to Syrian refugees) and refugee claimants.

For more information, please visit: 
ccrweb.ca/en/refugee-rights-day-2016
  1. Guide for NGOs on approaches by security and law enforcement agencies

The CCR has published a resource designed to help organizations serving refugees and immigrants address situations where they are approached by security or law enforcement agencies such as CSIS, CBSA or police, and asked questions about their clients.

The resources is available at: ccrweb.ca/en/security-agency-tool 

  1. The CCR congratulates the government on resettling 25000 Syrian Refugees in Canada

The Canadian Council for Refugees congratulates the Government of Canada on the arrival of the 25,000th Syrian refugee.

“The Government made a commitment to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February and they have achieved their goal,” said Loly Rico, President. “The fulfilment of this commitment gives us confidence that 25,000 Government Assisted Syrian refugees will arrive by the end of 2016, as also promised by the Government.”

To read the CCR's full statement, please visit:
ccrweb.ca/en/ccr-congratulates-government-resettling-25000-syrian-refugees

  1. National CCR spring consultation: Saskatoon, June 2- 4, 2016

Join us in Saskatoon this June to explore questions affecting refugee protection and newcomer settlement at the Canadian Council for Refugees Spring Consultation. We will be taking stock of achievements and challenges in welcoming Syrian refugees.

We are pleased to announce that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum will be participating.

All are welcome!

With views from all Canadian provinces and with participants in fields as diverse as healthcare and the law, the conference offers opportunities for professional development, networking and strategy.

More information at:
ccrweb.ca/en/meetings

  1. Haitians and Zimbabweans - additional time to apply for permanent residence

In February 2016, the federal government announced that it is giving an additional six months to Haitians and Zimbabweans to apply for permanent residence in Canada on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds without risk of removal. Applications must be submitted by August 4, 2016.

It is important to get the word out and encourage all affected to apply for permanent residence.

The CCR has prepared a practical resource to explain the measure, who it affects and what people need to do:
ccrweb.ca/en/haitians-and-zimbabweans-2016-measures

  1. Apply for CCR Membership

There’s no better time to become a CCR member!

If your organization is not yet a member of the CCR, you may be missing out on an opportunity to help shape Canada's response to refugees and other vulnerable migrants. There are also perks like event registration discounts, free webinars and online resources for CCR members only.

By joining the CCR, you will become part of a vibrant and dynamic national network of over 170 organizations committed to refugee and migrant rights and the integration of newcomers.

Not with an organization? Individuals can join as Associate Members.

* Membership is not open to members of government or to members of the media

To find out more on how to become a member of the CCR, please visit:
ccrweb.ca/en/join
  1. Become a friend of the CCR

The Friends of the CCR monthly donor program is an important way to support our advocacy and educational work.

It provides us with a reliable income and flexibility to plan better our activities.

“Advocating for vulnerable groups, the CCR has truly become a beacon of hope in the refugee community. Supporting an agency that represents values of social justice, peace, anti-oppression and anti-racism sums up the values I strive to achieve every day. Furthermore, as a friend to CCR, my work is improved because of the vast resources, knowledge and information offered by the many members of the CCR.”

- Monica Abdelkader, a great friend of the CCR

Become a friend of the CCR today by visiting:
ccrweb.ca/en/friends-ccr

Upcoming Meetings

CCR Spring Consultation
2 - 4 June 2016
Saskatoon

CCR Fall Consultation
24 - 26 November 2016
Montreal