Moratoria

1. The situation in Zaire is acknowledged by both political and human rights experts to be very volatile, with human rights violations and violence rampant in various parts of the country.
2. There is effectively no central government in control in Zaire at this time.
3. Canada, recognizing this serious situation, is presently leading a major humanitarian initiative in Zaire and the Great Lakes Region.
4. A growing number of Zairois (mostly in Montreal) have already received, or will be receiving, departure dates for the near future.

1. Canada has suspended deportations to Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaire), Afghanistan, Rwanda, & Burundi;
2. CIC does not consider this policy to cover removals to third countries, principally the United States;
3. A significant numbers of claimants arrive at Canadian border points via the United States, often as a result of Canadian interdiction practices;
4. A growing number of refused refugee claimants face an imminent danger of being removed to the United States, a country which at present has no suspension of deportations to the above-named countries;
5. The CCR has written several times to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, in the spring and summer of 1998, asking her to suspend removals of these individuals to the United States;
6. CIC has to date maintained its policy;

1. Citizenship and Immigration Canada maintains a list of countries to which Canada does not generally deport individuals from those countries;
2. A significant number of people from those countries, who are subject to deportation, have now been in Canada for many years and have no avenue to resolve their situation;
3. Living in this limbo situation causes great hardship and suffering, including long term separation from immediate family members;
4. It is very difficult for persons in this situation to be accepted for permanent residence through the Humanitarian and Compassionate stream;
5. This situation will continue to prevail after the implementation of the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Bill C-11);

The CCR has adopted Resolution 12 of May 2001;

1. The CCR has passed several resolutions outlining its views about the treatment of persons from countries to which Canada does not deport;
2. There is a growing number of people who have been in Canada for many years without any clear prospect for resolving their situations, since humanitarian and compassionated guidelines doe not deal explicitly with their cases;
3. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Denis Coderre, lifted the suspension of removals to Algeria on April 5, 2002, without any plan as to the disposition of those cases especially for those people who have been in Canada for over three years;
4. There is now a special procedure for Algerians, including an examination of their integration process by Quebec Immigration (MRCI) for persons in Quebec;
5. There are unanswered questions as to the examination of other humanitarian considerations, particularly marriages and ‘the best interests of the child';

1. The current military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip violates a plethora of international human rights conventions which Canada has ratified.
2. Palestinians living under military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are facing a humanitarian disaster.

1. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations state that the Minister can suspend removals to a country or place where there is a situation of generalized risk.
2. Where there is no functioning government, civilians are at generalized risk.

1. There is a situation of generalized risk in Colombia;
2. The government refused the CCR’s request that it review the situation in Colombia in 2003;