Immigration and Settlement

That the CCR:

1. Request a meeting between representatives of the CCR and the responsible officials in the federal government to share the issues and problems perceived in the Interim Federal Health Care Program and attempt to cooperate in making appropriate revisions to ensure efficient and relevant health care service delivery to the clients covered by the Interim Federal Health Care Program.
2. Working together with provincial umbrella organizations, insist that the provincial and federal governments address gaps in coverage and establish consistency of service and coverage across Canada.

That the CCR:

1. Write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration expressing our concerns about her department's downsizing having a deleterious effect on services and increasing the work (unpaid) of NGOs and requesting that a freeze be put on any further downsizing of CIC staff providing direct client service.
2. Include in this correspondence a request for a user evaluation to be done of mail-in services and use of local and 1-888 tele-centres.
3. Request that CIC work with the CCR to develop a process which ensures quality and access of CIC services, federally and locally.

That the CCR urge CIC:

1. Not to classify LINC as a training program as this would result in its transfer to the province as part of the federal commitment to devolve all training to the provinces.
2. To continue to see LINC as an integral part of settlement services.

That the CCR:

1. Reaffirm its resolutions on Settlement Renewal.
2. Call on the Government of Canada to:
3. Establish a National Working Group on Issues related to Settlement Renewal.
4. Halt the devolution of its responsibility for the administration of settlement services and maintain its primary responsibility for the settlement of immigrants and refugees.
5. Work with existing provincial and regional authorities to ensure that service mechanisms and programs meet provincial and regional needs.
6. In conjunction with all stakeholders, build on the experience and knowledge gained through the Settlement Renewal process to improve administrative and delivery systems, and develop nationally acceptable principles, definitions and standards for the funding, administration and delivery of settlement services.
7. maintain and enhance the integrity of settlement services by ensuring that the current funding envelop which includes ISAP, HOST, LINC and AAP is not dismantled or reduced.
8. Work towards achieving healthy partnerships which recognize and respect the autonomy and expertise of community agencies delivering settlement services.
9. Make a commitment to see the above points as interdependent and to implement all of the above points.

That the CCR:

1. Call on the federal government to launch a large-scale, proactive mass media campaign to promote the contributions of refugees and immigrants.
2. Urge that this campaign include significant input from refugee, immigrant and settlement communities and their advocacy agencies.

That the CCR:

1. Call on the chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation to appoint a Task Force to examine refugee and immigration services, policies and structures in Canada for systemic racism.
2. Call on the chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation to ensure that such a Task Force include refugees, immigrants, refugee and immigrant advocacy organizations and experts in systemic racism in Canada.

That the CCR:

1. Obtain comparative statistics from the UNHCR on admissions under the Women At Risk Program in Canada and other nations;
2. Write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Ministre des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'Immigration du Québec requesting an increased commitment to resettle Women at Risk and that this be reflected in the Canadian and Québec Annual Levels Plans for 1998 and following years, which plans should include an implementation plan;
3. Express concerns regarding the Women At Risk Program in its submission to the UNHCR Formal Consultation on Resettlement and request follow up from UNHCR and government participants.
4. Request the UNHCR and CIC to establish a Working Group together with NGOs (both settlement and sponsoring) to improve the Women at Risk program. Settlement/Overseas Protection

That the CCR:

1. Write to the Canadian Red Cross and express the CCR's concerns;
2. Demand that the Canadian Red Cross renounce the exclusion of non-French and English speakers from the blood donor program and take immediate steps to allow for participation of all residents of Canada in the program.

That the CCR call on the Government of Canada to:

1. Repeal the amendments of March 18, 1997 to the Family Sponsorship regulations;
2. Initiate a process of consultative meetings with the CCR and concerned communities to revise the Family Sponsorship Regulations in a manner consistent with Canada's international human rights obligations;
3. Recognize both in legislation and in policy implementation that family unity is the cornerstone of healthy and effective settlement for refugees and immigrants;
4. Ensure that legislation, policy and regulations consider the importance of family unity on the successful settlement and long-term contribution of vulnerable groups such as survivors of torture and trauma, women at risk, and others who come to Canada under humanitarian programs;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the CCR call on the Government of Québec to review, in collaboration with the settlement agencies, its policy on defaulting sponsors to ensure that standards of fairness and equity are maintained in all situations.

That the CCR urge CIC to seek ways to ensure that AAP/RAP allocations are made available and can be administered in all communities where sponsorship groups wish to assist refugees to resettle under Joint Assistance Programs and other blended programs.