Public statement

CCR wrote to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship with great concern because the details and roll out of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for Gaza are deeply problematic and display an unacceptable inequity in Canada’s responses to humanitarian emergencies. The discrepancies (as with the measures announced recently for Sudan) reflect systemic racism in our immigration system and underscore the need for an effective, equitable and transparent policy framework to guide emergency immigration responses.

1 November 2023

Dear Prime Minister,

The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is Canada's leading voice for the rights, protection, sponsorship, settlement, and well-being of refugees and migrants, in Canada and globally. CCR is driven by 200 member organizations working with, from, and for these communities, who have seen and know first-hand the lasting and intergenerational impacts of forced displacement and war.

The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is deeply dismayed that the Canadian government has downgraded its commitment to offer protection to 15,000 migrants from the Americas, which it made following the expansion of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) with the United States in March 2023.

On World Refugee Day, the CCR sent an open letter to the Prime Minister on behalf of over 130 human rights, labour, refugee, legal, environmental and community organizations from across Canada urging the Government to withdraw Canada from the Safe Third Country Agreement given its grievous impacts on the rights of refugees.

Canadian Council for Refugees

Public statement

June 14, 2023

CCR welcomes Co-Executive Directors

The Executive Committee of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Co-Executive Directors, marking a transition to an exciting new model of leadership that centers power-sharing.

The Canadian Council for Refugees is highly concerned with the recent expansion of the Safe Third Country Agreement and its devastating impacts on tens of thousands of people who have been forcibly displaced and are seeking protection. Their fundamental rights need to be at the centre of Canada’s concerns. Under international human rights law, Canada has legal obligations to uphold their right to protection.  

Canadian Council for Refugees

Public statement

March 9, 2023

Statement on Roxham Road crossings

In response to the current focus on people making refugee claims at Roxham Road, the Canadian Council for Refugees highlights the following points and calls for respect for the rights and dignity of all those seeking our protection.

Canada has legal obligations towards refugees at our borders

The following are some comments on the federal government's Budget 2022.

Canada’s immigration plan

We welcome the ambitious immigration plan for 2022, which, as mentioned, is necessary to meet labour needs as well as reuniting families.

On March 18, the CCR wrote to the Minister Sean Fraser, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, with recommendations and concerns about the Canadian immigration measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

In this letter, we highlighted that:

When people are forced to flee, as is currently the case in Ukraine, the fundamental right to seek refuge must be safeguarded – fully and without discrimination. We are concerned at reports that people from Africa and from Asia are facing barriers in fleeing to neighbouring countries.