Immigration and Settlement

That the CCR urge Citizenship and Immigration Canada to undertake a review of the ISAP program, in consultation with service providers, other experts and stakeholders, with the intention of:

(a) examining what services are needed to help immigrants and refugees settle successfully.

(b) defining outcomes and standards for those services.

(c) reviewing reasonable case loads to assure an appropriate level of service.

(d) significantly raising the level of funding to settlement services in Canada.

That the CCR:

1. Request clarification from CIC regarding:
   a) What staff CIC believes need a security check and why.
   b) What credit checks are envisaged, whether they include volunteer board members who have bank signing authorities, and why.
   c) Why there is a rush on checks on staff using a computer system which we had been assured was secure and through which agencies would only have access to data regarding their own clients;
2. Urge the Prime Minister to address this issue as an example of systemic racism and the targeting of immigrants by the federal government;
3. Examine the Human Rights implications of this matter with the Human Rights Commission;
4. Explore the possibility of a charter challenge on this issue;
5. Bring the issue to the attention of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

That the CCR bring forward to CIC National Headquarters, in advance of the re-negotiation of the BC-federal agreement on settlement services, the concerns of members over the compromising of service delivery in BC.

That the CCR work with the Charities Branch to effect policy changes regarding the interpretation of the Charities Act as it affects the status of ethnospecific and women ’s organizations, so that these organizations are recognized to be part of general Canadian society; and that advocacy is recognized as an essential tool for democratic participation in civic societies and that the work of these groups is recognized to be beneficial to Canadian society.

That the CCR call on its members to sensitize themselves to trafficking issues and consider adapting their services or their mandates, as appropriate, to respond to the needs of those who have been trafficked.

That the CCR call on the federal government to:

1. Facilitate the establishment of an inter-departmental working group to develop an anti-racist analytical framework in consultation with NGOs representing equity-seeking groups/communities;
2. Establish a process for implementation, monitoring and reporting back to civil society on an annual basis.

That the CCR:

1. Continuously raise the level of awareness of the needs of immigrant and refugee youth through CCR networks and consultations;
2. Advocate for the rights of immigrant and refugee youth in Canada.

That the CCR request the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to:

1. Desist from implementing any re-population strategy for smaller communities that involves immigration without consulting stakeholders and ensuring that these communities have the supports necessary to welcome new immigrants;
2. Refrain from extending the program which uses temporary permits as a pre-condition to obtaining the right to apply for permanent residence status at the end of a specified time period.

That CCR request

1. CIC and, where appropriate, the provinces, to facilitate the process of enabling immigrants to obtain permanent resident cards as mandated under IRPA by providing adequate funding to agencies to:
   a) Assist immigrants to complete permanent resident card applications.
   b) Engage Notary Publics, Lawyers or commissioners to administer statutory declarations in support of permanent resident card applications at no cost to the immigrant.
2. CIC to amend the regulations to simplify the requirements.

That the CCR advocate with HRDC for the allocation of funding to enable immigrant serving agencies to increase their capacity and facilitate the development of appropriate cross-sectoral partnerships to address local needs.