If you are concerned about the government’s decision to refuse new Group of Five applications until 2026, we encourage you to raise you voice!
Below are some suggested ways to be heard.
Bear in mind that we are expecting federal elections in the coming months – this makes it all the more important for all parties to understand that Canadians want a strong and accessible private sponsorship program.
(Note: this issue does not directly affect sponsorships in Quebec, as the Quebec government is responsible for the administration of sponsorship applications made in that province. As of December 18, Quebec has also paused its PSR program (effective 1 January 2025 to 20 June 2025.)
1. Write to your Member of Parliament
Let your Member of Parliament know that people in their constituency are concerned about the decision. Many MPs already support private sponsorship and so will be open to hearing from you on this issue.
You can use the template letter – you can edit it to add information about yourself and your involvement in sponsorship, and to talk about the impact of sponsorship locally. The tool also helps you send the letter to your Member of Parliament, with a copy to Minister Marc Miller.
Your letter doesn’t need to be long. What is important is that your Member of Parliament sees that this issue is a priority for people in their constituency.
2. Ask to meet with your Member of Parliament
It is even better if you can meet with your MP, as well as sending a letter.
Parliament is not sitting in January, meaning that it is easier to schedule a meeting with MPs in their constituencies. You can include a line in your letter requesting a meeting. It is also a good idea to call the MP’s office and ask for a meeting about this issue. (Find your MP and their constituency phone number here)
You don’t need to be an expert on the program or have all the answers to meet with your MP. The important thing is to tell your Member of Parliament why the issue is important to you and people you care about, and why it matters to the local community. If the MP has questions that you don’t know the answer to, you can offer to look for the answer and get back to them – this is a great opportunity to keep the conversation going!
You may want to look at the CCR’s letter to the Minister for relevant information and points to make.
Ask your MP to bring your concerns up with the Minister and press him to hold a meeting with G5 representatives and the CCR (as mentioned in the template letter).
The CCR would be glad to hear reports of any meetings with MPs: write to us at g5@ccrweb.ca – you can also write there if you have questions.
3. Talk to the media
Consider reaching out to media about your concerns. In particular, local and community media are often happy to hear from people who can talk about impacts for the local or specific community.
You can contact individual journalists that you know or that sometimes cover immigration and refugee issues, or reach out to newspapers or local radio shows. Prepare a brief pitch, for example:
The impact can be particularly strong if sponsors or family members can talk about the realities for people who they were planning to sponsor – but it is important to consider people’s privacy, and make sure that nothing personal is shared without full and informed consent.
You can also write a letter to the editor, in the case of newspapers that publish these, or write an op ed.
Some key points that you might want to make:
- The closing of the G5 program to new applications for more than a year is devastating and comes in the context of many other recent measures being taken by government to close the door on refugees.
- The sudden freezing of the G5 program leaves many people high and dry – there are applications which were in preparation for months that were about to be submitted. Now Canadian sponsors need to break the news that the Canadian government has said “no” before the application could even be submitted.
- The recently announced immigration levels had big cuts across the board, but particularly for refugees. The government eliminated 5,000 spaces for privately sponsored refugees.
- The fact that so many Canadians want to sponsor refugees shows that we have the will and the capacity to welcome more refugees.
- All the costs for privately sponsored refugees are covered by private citizens – we support them financially on arrival, help them find housing and a job, and introduce them to their new community.
- Private sponsorship has been an extraordinarily successful program. It offers a permanent home to refugees and strengthens local communities in Canada.
Even more important than making these points is to speak concretely about what private sponsorship means and the impacts of it not being available. Include lots of concrete examples from your own experience - these touch people's hearts more than general statements!
4. Outreach to your networks
Are you connected to networks of people and organizations that would share your concerns? Reach out to them and encourage them to take one or more of the actions above!