Working Group on Immigration and Settlement

This Working Group provides a forum to exchange information, network and develop policy positions on all issues related to the settlement and integration of refugees, immigrants and other migrants in Canada, including:

  • provision of settlement services;
  • broader social justice context related to newcomers in Canada, for example: systemic racism, racialization of poverty, employment and income security, housing and homelessness, health, mental health, family reunification, and equitable access to services and basic entitlements.

I&S Co-Chairs

Darae Lee, elected co-chair during the 2020 Fall Consultation has taken a leave of absence and is expected to be back at the end of 2021.

We are grateful to our interim Co-Chair, Claudine Uwingabiye! You can find out more about Claudine in her bio below.

Darae Lee is a registered social worker with a Master’s degree in Social Work.

She is passionate about community development, newcomer settlement & integration as well as empowerment of vulnerable members in the community. She has worked with different population, including people with disabilities, transgender newcomers and immigrant and refugee youth and seniors. Since 2013, she has managed the IRCC funded settlement programs and ensured its successful planning, execution, innovative expansion and partnership building.

Darae is keen to bringing new and innovative ideas to traditional settlement practice, especially by addressing intersectionality of migration, age, gender diversity, sexual orientation and abilities, as well as by exploring innovative approaches.

Luis is a Colombian refugee, trained in human rights, and in immigration & refugee issues.

Since October 2017 Luis Aberto works at the FCJ Refugee Centre as Anti-Human and Migrant Workers Program Coordinator, also coordinating the Toronto Counter Human Trafficking Network. Before, Luis worked for nine years as settlement and employment counsellor with the Mennonite New Life Centre in Toronto. Back in Colombia, Luis worked with urban and rural communities, including forced displaced people, reported on human rights abuses, also on the five-decade civil war in his country.

Luis has lectured on globalization, social justice & human rights, and has published two books, one of them about the genocide against the Patriotic Union, a political movement that was exterminated in Colombia.

Claudine has more than 8 years of experience in assisting and welcoming immigrants with a temporary or permanent status.

Claudine holds a Master's degree in Management and Cooperatives Development and has been, since 2017, Senior Manager of the Assistance and Francization program at Accueil Liaison pour Arrivants (ALPA) where she helps newcomer immigrants better settle in their new communities.

I&S Key Issues