Haitian refugees

Resolution number
22
Whereas
  1. The United States continues to return Haitians picked up in international waters directly to Haiti;
  2. Previous CCR resolutions of May '92 and Nov. '92 have called upon the Canadian government to
    1. Support the UNHCR statement of May '92 criticizing US actions against Haitian asylum seekers;
    2. Make representations to the US not to return Haitians to Haiti; and
    3. Select a certain number of Haitians for resettlement in Canada;
  3. The Canadian government has not publicly responded to these demands;
  4. The United States is now putting forward a plan involving other governments for processing Haitian refugees in the Caribbean region;
Therefore be it resolved

That the CCR:

  1. Call upon the Canadian government to:
    1. Publicly clarify the positions it has taken in its discussions with the United States and in multilateral discussions;
    2. Take all available measures, in consultation with the NGO sector, to ensure that
      1. Any screening process set up in the region includes all necessary safeguards for meaningful protection;
      2. No appropriate solutions, such as third country resettlement, be excluded before individual cases are examined;
    3. Select a certain number of Haitian refugees for resettlement in Canada; potential candidates should include Haitians now in vulnerable situations in various locations in the Americas;
  2. Call upon the UNHCR to designate adequate resources to ensure that international protection standards are upheld during this process;
  3. Approach other organizations in the development and human rights fields to support and participate in our advocacy initiatives on this issue.
Working Group
Overseas Protection and Resettlement