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CCR Resolutions Database

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  • The right to access to safe, secure and affordable housing

    Res.: 5
    Whereas:
    1. Safe, secure and affordable housing is a resource that plays a critical role in determining overall health and well-being and provides a base from which immigrants and refugees can seek employment, re-establish family relationships and make connections with the wider community;
    2. Immigrants and refugees are facing absolute and hidden homelessness problems in Canada;
    3. UNHCR Reception and Integration Handbook, ch. 2.8 (A Place to Call Home) outlines guidelines;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Write to all levels of government responsible for housing and immigration settlement to allocate more resources for affordable housing and to review the provision of adequate income and social assistance levels to facilitate access to safe, secure and affordable housing.
    2. Promote the best service guidelines in the area of housing developed by the UNHCR, ensuring that governments and service providers commit to the housing guidelines, and provide the support and resources needed to enable those guidelines to be maintained.

  • Refugees in Ethiopia and Eritrea

    Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. United Nations and western countries have expressed serious concerns that war might break out between Eritrea and Ethiopia;
    2. Eritrea and Ethiopia are moving their troops to the border and preparing for war;
    3. If war breaks out, civilians, especially Eritrean refugees who are in Ethiopia and Ethiopian refugees in Eritrea, will face the consequence of the war as in the earlier rounds of wars;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the UNHCR and CIC to recognize Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia and Ethiopian refugees in Eritrea as in urgent need of protection.
    2. Urge the Canadian government to expedite processing of private and government sponsorship of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia and Ethiopian refugees in Eritrea.
    3. Urge the UNHCR that the cases of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia and Ethiopian refugees in Eritrea who have been accepted by UNHCR as in need of protection and who wish to be resettled in Canada be referred to the relevant Canadian embassy.
    4. Ask the Canadian government to work towards peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

  • New RAP Financial Stream

    Res.: 3
    Whereas:
    1. The current Resettlement Assistance Program provides 1 year financial support to regular Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) and 2 years support for refugees under Joint Assistance Sponsorship;
    2. A significant percentage of refugees arriving under the regular GAR stream are special needs cases;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon CIC and the Québec government to establish a new GAR stream that would provide 2 year financial support to regular GARs with longer-term integration issues: medical problems, single mothers, those with little or no education. The other 2 streams would remain as is.

  • Protracted refugee situations

    Res.: 8
    Whereas:
    1. Nearly 7 million out of the 11 million worldwide refugee population have been “warehoused”  – confined to camps or segregated settlements or otherwise deprived of basic rights – in situations lasting indefinitely;
    2. Refugee protection is an international responsibility;
    3. There are proposals for a future EXCOM resolution on self-reliance;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Advocate that the future conclusion of UNHCR Executive Committee on “self-reliance” be broadly stated to include such activities as the right to work, practice professions, run businesses, own property, move freely and choose their place for residence and have travel documents.
    2. Advocate that the future conclusion on self-reliance affirm that such rights are integral to UNHCR’s protection mandate.
    3. Advocate that CIDA integrate refugee rights to self-reliance activities into its aid and development programs.

  • Immigration levels

    Res.: 11
    Whereas:
    1. Current limits on the numbers of immigrants and refugees who can come to Canada each year and the unequal division of these numbers between economic and humanitarian classes of immigrants have resulted in long waiting periods for the re-unification of families and the admission of sponsored refugees;
    2. The limits on and division of immigrant and refugee numbers appear to be arbitrary and to have been set without public consultation;
    3. It is widely recognized that family reunification is taking too long and the delays in the processing are causing great hardship;
    4. The group with the most pressing need for family re-unification is refugees;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call upon the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to:

    1. Commit to an increase in immigration levels.
    2. Commit to a full and transparent review of immigration levels which review will have a meaningful consultation with NGO stakeholders at all stages of review. Among the topics which should be examined in the review are the benefits of increasing the number of immigrants and refugees admitted to Canada each year; and whether the division of admissions between economic and humanitarian classes is fair or necessary.
    3. Pending the review of immigration levels, increase the number of persons admitted to Canada each year by a sufficient number to allow for overseas family members included in inland applicants to be admitted immediately for processing in Canada.

  • Settlement Allocation Model

    Res.: 4
    Whereas:

    The Settlement Allocation Model has proven problematic with regards to smaller centres with high proportions of refugees, and centres receiving substantial secondary migration, and grossly inequitable for larger centres;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Communicate with CIC requesting that new funding for the settlement sector be allocated on the basis of the following principles:

      a)that small centres, particularly those with a high proportion of refugees to their total immigration, receive sufficient funding to maintain the capacity to meet the demand;
      b)centres experiencing substantial secondary migration arrivals need to receive sufficient funding to meet the resulting service demands;
      c)that the current 2-tiered (large region/small region) model be discontinued.

    2. Request an opportunity to hold consultations between CIC and the sector with regards to reforming/replacing the Settlement Allocation Model.

  • Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees in detention in Israel

    Res.: 9
    Whereas:
    1. Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention exempts refugees from being punished because of their illegal entry or presence;
    2. UNHCR’s Revised Guidelines on the Detention of Asylum Seekers states that “[a]s a general rule, asylum seekers should not be detained”, and that “the use of detention, in many instances, is contrary to the norms and principles of international law.”
    3. There are 68 refugee claimants from Ethiopia and Eritrea who are detained in Israel for prolonged periods amounting to 18 months and without obtaining adequate assistance from any party except for the African Refugees Development Centre(ARDC);
    4. The detention practices are inconsistent with established human rights standards;
    5. The Israeli authorities, after long discussion and debate, have agreed to release these detainees on an estimated bail of between $8,500-10,000 CAD for two months if there is tangible evidence of a sponsorship application to Canada and for 12months if an invitation for an interview at the Canadian Embassy is extended;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the UNHCR to demand compliance that Israel comply with the 1951Convention and the 1967Protocol, and adhere to UNHCR’s standards on detention regarding refugees.
    2. Urge the UNHCR to intervene in accordance with the above-mentioned UNHCR Guidelines on the Detention of Asylum Seekers so that the illegally detained refugees are released and obtain fair procedures for timely review.
    3. Urge CIC to request its visa post in Tel Aviv to fulfill the following:
      a)process each application and make determination in a fair manner consistent with the IRPA guidelines;
      b)process the private sponsorship of these refugees in an expedited and consistent manner.
    4. Work with the African Refugees Development Center (ARDC) on all issues regarding African refugees and asylum seekers residing in Israel with an intention/process to immigrate/resettle in Canada.

  • Delaying the day

    Res.: 14
    Whereas:
    1. The IRB will not conduct any refugee determination hearings until claimants have received security clearances;
    2. IRPA requires that hearings be held expeditiously;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request the IRB to set a strict 6 month time limit for delaying a hearing to allow for the security clearance, so that refugee claimants who are ready to proceed can have their hearings in a timely manner as required by IRPA.

  • Provincial devolution

    Res.: 2
    Whereas:
    1. CIC has devolved settlement responsibilities to some provinces and is in negotiations to do so with others;
    2. CIC has a responsibility to ensure comparable and accountable services to all immigrants and refugees across the country;
    3. BC has moved in policy and management directions quite distinct from CIC’s;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR work strategically to ensure that CIC exercises its responsibility in ensuring comparable and accountable services across the country, with particular reference to provinces where devolution agreements exist.

  • Enhancing the role of NGOs in group processing of refugees to Canada

    Res.: 7
    Whereas:
    1. The UNHCR has demonstrated a keen interest in enhancing the role of NGOs in refugee resettlement, in particular in group processing initiatives;
    2. The 2003-2004 Group Processing Initiative, that is currently under evaluation by CIC, reveals some areas for improvement that may be addressed in part by NGO participation;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Request CIC to consult with partners and stakeholders on the benefits of including NGO personnel in all phases of group resettlement initiatives from identification and referral to post-arrival settlement;
    2. Encourage CIC to invite CCR (SAHs and settlement agencies) to pilot the inclusion of NGO personnel in forthcoming group processing initiatives in the field;
    3. Urge CIC to ensure that the CCR (SAHs and settlement agencies) and community partners in destination communities have sufficient, timely information to identify gaps and challenges and to plan how they will meet those needs, including by CIC placing Canadia NGO personnel in the countries of asylum in order to establish effective, timely linkages between the asylum countries and destining communities.

  • Excluded family members

    Res.: 12
    Whereas:
    1. IRPA Regulation 117(9)(d) provides for a lifetime exclusion from sponsoring a family member, with no discretion to consider an explanation, however compelling, or to impose a lesser period of exclusion;
    2. Ina significant number of cases, there has been no intention to misrepresent and, in other cases, there are mitigating circumstances that may constitute justification;
    3. The application of this article is having an extremely detrimental impact on many innocent children, in violation of Canada’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to take into account the “best interests of the child” concerned in any decision of a public body;
    4. IRPA provides for a general inadmissibility of two years in cases of misrepresentation and officers have considerable discretion as to whether even that inadmissibility should be imposed;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR call for IRPA Reg. 117(9)(d) to be rescinded. Officers should be required to consider all the facts of the case, including intention and any mitigating circumstances, in deciding whether to impose an exclusion, which should in no case exceed the two years provided for generally under IRPA.

  • Twinning (host)/Canada-Québec Accord

    Res.: 5
    Whereas:
    1. The Government of Québec is obliged by the Canada-Québec Accord to offer settlement and integration services that correspond overall to those offered elsewhere in Canada;
    2. The financial compensation from the federal government provided for in the Accord will go in 2005-2006 from $160 million to $180 million;
    3. The Government of Québec is refusing to account for the amounts received from the federal government;
    4. Le ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles du Québec (MICC) has decided to abolish the Québec twinning program by eliminating the specific funding for the twinning (Host) activities of settlement and integration organizations;
    5. The twinning program is the only settlement and integration program that directly involves the host society;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Send a joint letter to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and to the Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities informing them that settlement and integration organizations in Canada are concerned about the decision of the Government of Québec to no longer provide specific support for twinning activities for newcomers as is done elsewhere in Canada;
    2. Ask the Joint Committee with responsibility for the implementation of and follow up to the Accord to create a temporary committee to evaluate this loss of experience and of service for newcomers to Québec;
    3. Ask for a public accounting by the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec for the amounts spent since 2000 as part of the financial compensation transferred each year by the federal government to Quebec pour settlement and integration services for newcomers;
    4. As the Government of Québec to report on the allocation of the additional$20 million that it will receive from the federal government this year for services to newcomers.

  • Uighurs in detention in Guantanamo Bay

    Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. There are 22 Uighurs, Chinese nationals, being detained by the USA in Guantanamo Bay since their arrest in Afghanistan following the events of September11, 2001;
    2. The USA has determined that these Uighurs do not pose a threat to national security but is considering refoulement back to China where they will face persecution and torture at the hands of the regime that views them as terrorist activists advocating separation of their homeland;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the UNHCR to publicly demand that the Uighurs are not refouled to China;
    2. Urge the UNHCR to intervene to seek a durable solution for these Uighurs as a means for their protection including to facilitate the resettlement of the Uighurs to the USA, where US nationals of Uighur heritage have offered to assist in their settlement, and/or resettlement to other countries as a means for their protection from refoulement or continued detention at Guantanamo;
    3. Use its opportunities at meetings with Canadian government officials and the UNHCR and at international fora to further the protection and achievement of a durable solution for the Uighurs currently held in Guantanamo.

  • Refugee Assistance Program

    Res.: 3
    Whereas:
    1. The Refugee Assistance Program (RAP) is responsible for the provision of settlement services and income support for refugees deemed in need of protection by the Government of Canada;
    2. The provision of these RAP services has been contracted to voluntary sector organizations;
    3. The budget for the RAP program has not been increased since 1998;
    4. The voluntary agencies across Canada have now reached a crisis point in their financial viability to be able to deliver services to government sponsored refugees;
    5. The recent budget announcement of an additional $298 million dollars for settlement service for the Department of Citizenship and Immigration provides not one cent in additional funding for RAP services for government sponsored refugees;
    6. Senior department officials have recognized the critical nature of the situation but have been unable to effect any significant change;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urgently request a meeting between RAP agency representatives and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to consider the financial “melt down” facing the voluntary agencies delivering RAP services and the lack of adequate income support for RAP clients and ensure the allocation of sufficient funds to avert a crisis.

  • Iraqis in Europe

    Res.: 8
    Whereas:
    1. There are many Iraqis in European countries who have been refused refugee status by these countries,
    2. A number of these people have no durable solution in these European countries and have family members in Canada who have been accepted by Canada under the Convention Refugee or Country of Asylum Class,
    3. These people will be deported to Iraq as soon as the host countries consider it safe,
    4. These people no longer have family or homes in Iraq,
    5. The assisted relative program and last remaining member of the family programs no longer exist,
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR strongly urge Citizenship and Immigration Canada to develop a humanitarian and compassionate mechanism to allow these families to be reunited with family members in Canada.

  • Protected persons documents

    Res.: 13
    Whereas:
    1. Protected Persons require Protected Persons Status documents to apply for Canada Student Loans and for Canadian refugee travel documents;
    2. Some Protected Persons, particularly those with landing delays (for whatever reason),are issued Protected Persons Status documents with a validity of six months;
    3. The six month limit prevents both acquisition of loans and the ability to travel outside of Canada:
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request that Citizenship and Immigration Canada adopt as policy that all Protected Persons Status documents have a validity for a minimum of two years.

  • Disability

    Res.: 1
    Whereas:
    1. The settlement service system is currently mandated to provide language training for certain classes of newcomers to Canada;
    2. Language training in the form of sign language training is not consistently provided across the country;
    3. Those who are hearing impaired also have a right to language training;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR communicate with CIC, Manitoba, BC and Québec requesting that they ensure that sign language training and services are available for all hearing impaired persons who qualify for language training.

  • Educational needs of newcomer youth in the Atlantic region

    Res.: 6
    Whereas:
    1. It is the intention of the Atlantic provincial and municipal governments to attract and encourage immigrants and refugees to move to and remain in the region;
    2. There is already a deficiency of educational resources available;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR advocate on behalf of the Atlantic Region for the required resources to support the educational needs of newcomer youth.

  • Assisted relatives

    Res.: 2
    Whereas:
    1. The presence of family members is a strong indicator for successful settlement, and assists in small centre retention;
    2. The cancellation of the Assisted Relative category has greatly increased the pressure on the Private Sponsorship program.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Ministre des Relations avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration requesting that the Assisted Relative class be reinstated.

  • Darfur

    Res.: 7
    Whereas:
    1. The political situation in the Darfur Region of the Sudan continues to deteriorate, with widespread human rights violations leading to deaths of an estimated quarter of a million people.
    2. The government of the Sudan refuses to yield to the international pressures to put an end to the conflict.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Canadian government to:

      i)    Use all available means, including by adding its voice to those who have already named the situation as genocide, to ensure that the international community intervenes to stop the abuses.
      ii)    Put more pressure on the Sudan government to immediately end the conflict against the Fur people by suspending all aid to the Sudan except humanitarian aid.
      iii)    Encourage and support the African Union to intercede in the conflict in Darfur.
      iv)    Assist the UNHCR in providing humanitarian aid for safety, health and maintenance of refugees in Chad and internally displaced persons in the Sudan.

    2. Urge the UNHCR to expedite the resettlement processing of vulnerable Furians in refugee camps in Chad.

  • Access to health

    Res.: 12
    Whereas:
    1. Some of the provincial health insurance plans (such as OHIP in Ontario) do not provide provincial health insurance coverage for “family members” of protected persons who are residing in Canada and who are being processed for permanent resident status simultaneously with the protected person;
    2. It is a waste of resources to have to make a refugee claim for these family members in Canada just so that they will have IFH coverage;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request all provincial health ministers to ensure that the family members of protected persons are eligible for provincial health insurance coverage.

  • Official proclamation of Refugee Rights Day

    Res.: 17
    Whereas:
    1. The Singh decision of 1985 is significant in establishing refugees’ rights to fundamental justice;
    2. NGOs and other refugee advocates commemorate the Singh decision in Canada on April 4, Refugee Rights Day.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urge different levels of government in Canada to proclaim April 4 as Refugee Rights Day, by the 25th anniversary in 2010.

  • Employment Equity at CIC and CBSA

    Res.: 5
    Whereas:
    1. The staff of CIC and CBSA do not appear to reflect the diversity of Canada’s population;
    2. The staff of CIC and CBSA regularly work with a very diverse population of clients.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request the Public Service Commission to conduct an employment equity audit for both CIC and CBSA.

  • Overseas processing and targets

    Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. Overseas processing targets are inadequate, as reported in the “No Faster Way?” and “More than a Nightmare” documents, to meet demand in the family reunification and refugee sponsorship queues;
    2. Canada has an obligation to respond to the legitimate needs of Canadians, including its refugee sponsorship community and its separated families.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Government to review the 60/40 ratio in order to increase the numbers of Humanitarian class cases being processed.
    2. Urge the Government to establish and implement service standards for all immigration categories which are simple, fast (in less than 8-12 months) and accessible.
    3. Reaffirm a consistent application for all posts of the policy priorizing refugees.

  • H&C decisions and Canadian values

    Res.: 15
    Whereas:
    1. There is considerable discontent with the current decision-making process with regards to humanitarian and compassionate considerations inside Canada and the lack of respect for fundamental family rights or significant establishment in Canada;
    2. There is great concern that the criteria of the best interest of the child is not being applied in a liberal and just fashion in humanitarian decisions by CIC decision-makers.
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request that:

    1. The criteria for deciding on humanitarian and compassionate requests in the IP-5 Manual be modified to read “unusual and undeserved hardship” with the addition of “or sufficient family ties.”
    2. The departmental police and guidelines be modified so that, in the absence of significant countervailing factors, the following categories will benefit from a favourable presumption in analysis of humanitarian applications:
      a) Married couples with a valid relationship will not be separated by removal during the processing of the permanent residence.
      b) Applicants with Canadian children will be generally accepted for permanent residence in Canada.
      c) Applicants with over five years in Canada of continuous presence are generally allowed to stay in Canada.
      d) Applicants with children who have become culturally acclimated to Canada and have over three years Canadian schooling should generally be accepted for residence.> e) Applicants whose removal would create significant disruption to a Canadian employer or to other Canadian employees should warrant humanitarian considerations.
      f) Torture or rape victims should not normally be sent back to the country where they suffered rape or torture. Serious risk of re-traumatisation must be an important humanitarian concern.