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Statelessness

Protecting stateless persons

Resolution number
13
Whereas
  1. Stateless people have been and are currently detained and/or deported by Canada to go into orbit, or detention or limbo elsewhere;
  2. There is a 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons to protect such persons, which the UN High Commission for Refugees is promoting but which Canada has not ratified;
Therefore be it resolved

That the CCR urge the government of Canada to:

  1. Develop an internal mechanism to protect stateless persons;
  2. In the meantime, release stateless persons from detention and process them through humanitarian and compassionate review;
  3. Ratify the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons;
  4. Promote the ratification of the Convention by other states.
Working Group
Inland Protection
Subject
Statelessness

Statelessness statistics

Resolution number
18
Whereas
  1. IRPA is silent on the issue of statelessness which increases the vulnerability of stateless people;
  2. Current data collection systems of the government are inconsistent and ad hoc on statistics relating to statelessness;
Therefore be it resolved

That the CCR request that CIC and the IRB review their data management and reporting systems to ensure the accurate and timely collection and reporting of statistics relating to statelessness, in particular:

  • refugee status determination hearings when statelessness was a factor (numbers, country of residence)
  • H&C applications of stateless cases (numbers accepted, numbers rejected, countries of habitual residence)
  • detention of stateless persons (length of detention, reason for detention, country of habitual residence, place of detention, age, gender)
  • removals of stateless persons (including country of habitual residence, age, gender, country removed to).
  • resettlement of stateless persons.
Working Group
Inland Protection
Subject
Statelessness

Statelessness

Resolution number
12
Whereas
  1. Stateless people are in a vulnerable situation because they have no protection from a state;
  2. IRPA does not specify stateless persons as a group needing protection or eligible for landing on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
Therefore be it resolved

That the CCR:

  1. Strongly urge the Minister to amend IRPA to include statelessness as a ground for protection (both in Canada and for resettlement).
  2. In the alternative, use the authority of subsection 25(1) to establish "protection of stateless persons" as a public policy category for permanent residence and amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to include statelessness as a ground for resettlement to Canada.
  3. As an interim measure urge CIC to amend the Immigration Manual, Chapter IP5, to include statelessness as a factor for landing in H&C applications. ID requirements and establishment requirements should be waived in view of the special hardships faced by stateless persons.
Working Group
Overseas Protection and Resettlement
Subject
Resettlement policy
Statelessness
H&C

Palestinian refugee claims before the IRB and PRRA

Resolution number
21
Whereas
  1. There is demonstrable confusion within IRB and PRRA regarding the status of stateless Palestinian refugees, and the conditions they have fled.
  2. This lack of understanding has led to inconsistent and ill-informed decision-making.
Therefore be it resolved

That CCR, together with other organizations and coalitions working for the rights of Palestinian refugees, raise with the IRB and with PRRA officials the need for better and more consistent information regarding the legal status of Palestinian refugees and the rights violations they face.

Working Group
Inland Protection
Subject
IRB
Statelessness
PRRA
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